Against All Odds
by Midnight C
Summary: (Complete) My first published fanfic and it's not your typical mushy romance. A story of jealousy, betrayal and a love powerful enough to triumph against all odds...I hate summaries! Isaac & Mia...
1. Chapter 1

Obligatory Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun or any of the characters or places or plots from it. Come on, does anyone out there honestly believe that I do? I didn't think so.

Author's note: This takes place shortly after the end of the first game, where the crew is aboard Babi's ship searching for Lemuria and their missing friends. Isaac and Mia professed their love for one another at the Venus Lighthouse when a piece of falling shrapnel (remember how the Lighthouse started to collapse?) nearly claimed Mia's life. Isaac saved her with his Psynergy, though, so now they're a very happy couple! ^_^ This story will mostly focus on their relationship (which will be tested...), but I'll try hard not to make it _too_ mushy!

***_Prelude_***

__

A clear, calm night on a sparkling sea. The light of the great silver moon in the sky reflected off of Mia's beautiful face, and she seemed to glow. She placed her head on Isaac's shoulder, smiling to herself. He held her close and realized that he probably wouldn't have a better time available to do this.

"Mia?" he questioned.

"Yes?"

He swallowed hard, fishing through his pockets for the item. "There's something I want to give you--if I can find it." Shoot! He hadn't dropped it, had he?

"What is it, Isaac?" she asked, feeling a bit giddy. He was obviously up to something.

"Here it is," he said, sounding relieved. He took her hand and cleared his throat. "Mia, you're the most amazing thing that's ever happened to me. The words 'I love you' just don't seem to properly sum up how I really feel about you."

"I know," she said. "Because I feel the same way. Being with you is like some sort of wonderful dream. I wish it would never end."

"Me either." He opened up his other hand, revealing a shiny blue ring. Mia gasped.

"Oh, Isaac! It's beautiful!"

"It's not much," Isaac said regretfully "but please take it as a small token of my love for you." He slid the ring onto her finger. "No matter what happens, I promise that nothing will ever keep us apart."

She smiled broadly and threw her arms around him. "I promise too. We'll always be together--now and forever."

"When this quest is over," Isaac added, "we'll make it official, OK?"

"Yes!" she exclaimed joyfully. And they shared a long kiss to seal the vow.

***Chapter 1***

"Land ho!" Garet cried from atop the crow's nest. The others rushed to the bow to see.

"Wow, it's really land," said Ivan. "I almost can't believe it!"

"Is it Lemuria?" Mia asked, squinting a bit to see.

"Well, why don't we drop anchor and go find out?" Isaac suggested.

"This is so exciting!" Mia said. "It's about time we found land again."

"Yeah," Ivan agreed. "We've been at sea for so long that I've almost forgotten what it's like to walk on solid ground!"

After almost a month and a half at sea, the Adepts were more than ready to investigate new territory. They swiftly dropped anchor and rowed a smaller boat to shore. Wherever they were, it would be a welcome change from the endless expanse of ocean they'd been looking at for so long. The piece of land didn't seem large enough to be a whole continent, and it felt a little familiar.

"I bet this is Idejima," Ivan said as he looked around. "It feels like we're moving with the waves."

"That means Jenna might be here," said Garet hopefully. "Let's go look." He drew his sword and started cutting a path through the thicket, with the others closely following. The branches lashed out as if they wanted to keep invaders away.

"It's like a jungle through here," Ivan said, tugging his cape free from one of the grasping boughs.

"Do you think this is where we'll find Jenna?" Mia questioned.

"We'll find out soon," Isaac replied. They came to a clearing where there was evidence of a camp but no people in sight.

"This is peculiar," said Ivan. "Do you suppose they left this place?"

Mia looked closer at the extinguished fire pit. "No, these ashes are fresh. Someone's been here very recently."

Something rustled in the bushes. Garet brandished his sword. "All right, come on out of there--and don't try any funny stuff!"

A familiar figure cautiously emerged from the brush and the others could hardly believe their eyes.

"Jenna!" Isaac and Garet exclaimed together. She ran to embrace them both.

"Isaac! Garet! It's so good to see you again! I always knew that you'd find me."

"I'm so glad you're all right," Isaac said.

"Still in one piece after all of this," Garet added. "I must say I'm impressed."

"What? You think just because I'm a girl I can't take care of myself?"

Garet faltered. "Well, no, it's just that…"

She laughed. "I'm _kidding_, Garet! I see you haven't changed much. You're just as foolish as ever."

"Hey!" he grumbled defensively. "Is that any way to talk to the guy who trekked halfway around the world to save you?"

"I missed you guys so much!" she said, chuckling again. She turned back to the bushes. "It's OK, Sheba! Come on out and meet my friends!"

"Sheba?" Ivan questioned in disbelief. Sure enough, the small Jupiter Adept believed to have perished at the Venus Lighthouse emerged from the greenery. She smiled shyly at the group before her.

"Hello," she said. "You must be the friends Jenna keeps talking about--the ones I saw at the Venus Lighthouse. I'm so very glad to meet you."

"Likewise," said Isaac. "I'm surprised you survived your fall, Sheba, but I'm pleased to meet you under better circumstances. Faran will be so relieved."

"You are the ones who defeated Saturos and Menardi," Sheba continued. Her eyes glowed a moment. "I sense a great power within you, Isaac. Thank you for finding me."

"Does this mean Felix is alive too?" Garet asked.

Jenna nodded. "He's alive, all right, but we don't know where he is. We woke up yesterday and he, Alex and Kraden were gone."

"How'd they leave?" Ivan questioned.

"Saturos had left a boat here," Jenna replied. "It was the only one, so Sheba and I are stranded here." She looked at him and Mia pensively, recognizing them from their brief encounter at the Mercury Lighthouse. "Who are you?"

"My name is Ivan, and this is Mia."

"I'm thrilled to finally meet you, Jenna," said Mia. "Isaac and Garet have told us so much about you."

Jenna smiled but eyed Mia a bit suspiciously, especially when she noticed the shiny ring on Mia's left hand. Why was such a pretty girl traveling with her friends?

"So Felix just abandoned you?" Garet asked. "Why would he do that?"

"I don't know," Jenna said. "I'm sure he means to come back for us, but who knows how long he'll be gone? Can we go with you guys? I've had enough of this place to last me a lifetime!"

"Of course," said Isaac. "Our ship has plenty of room. We'll go find Felix ourselves."

"Thank you," she said, taking his arm. "I've missed you so much. This will be like old times."

Isaac smiled and led the way back to the rowboat. Their Lemurian ship was noticeably further away, but they reached it easily and shoved off once again.

-----------------------------------------

Um, so how was it? Decent start, I hope. Be gentle with your criticisms, please--it's a work in progress. Next chapter coming soon!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Need I remind you that I don't own Golden Sun? Just checking. I hate beating around the bush, so let's just get to it.

***Chapter 2***

Mia stood at the bow of the great Lemurian ship as evening set in, waiting patiently for Isaac to finish with his shift at the helm. Jenna came up behind her. "So tell me, Mia, what are you doing on this quest with Isaac?"

"I met him in Imil, my hometown. I helped him through the Mercury Lighthouse and I decided to continue with him when I discovered that Alex was involved in all of this. He's my former apprentice, you see. I'm a healer by nature--a Mercury Adept, so I like to think I've been a help."

Jenna nodded. "That's generous of you to lend your services. But Isaac's got some healing talents of his own, you know."

"Of course," said Mia. "But every little bit helps. And Isaac says he'd rather use his Psynergy for battle because I'm more experienced with healing."

"Does he?" Jenna lifted an eyebrow. She regarded Mia's ring again. "That's a nice ring. Where'd you get it?"

"Uh…I…" Mia blushed. "Well, you see it's…"

"I gave it to her," said Isaac as he came up to them.

"You?" Jenna asked. "But why, Isaac?"

Isaac fidgeted nervously with the end of his yellow scarf. "Well, you're bound to find out one way or the other. I suppose I may as well tell you now."

"Tell me what?" Jenna pressed, knowing full well that he was hiding something important underneath that fidgeting.

"We're in love," he said, unable to find a better way to put it. He looked to Mia, who turned a deeper crimson and smiled. 

"In love?" Jenna whispered in total shock. "W-when did this happen?"

"To be honest, it happened the moment we first met back in Imil," said Isaac. "But we didn't actually own up to our feelings until after we defeated Saturos and Menardi at the Venus Lighthouse. That was what--two months ago now?"

"One month, three weeks, five days and 17 hours ago," Mia said softly. "I've been counting every moment." Isaac smiled broadly, but Jenna was still visibly astonished.

"What is it, Jenna?" he asked. "Is something wrong?"

"N-no," she managed to stutter. "You just caught me off guard, is all. I wasn't expecting to find you involved with someone."

"Sorry to surprise you like this," Isaac said. "But better that you find out sooner than later, right?"

"Right." Jenna forced a smile. "I'll leave you two alone, then." She walked towards the stern but looked back just in time to see them kiss. She grimaced to herself. _Who does that girl think she is?_ she thought. _Isaac's way too good for someone like her!_

"I see you found out about the lovebirds," said Garet.

"How did this happen, Garet?" Jenna asked.

"It's a long, sad story," Garet replied, thinking back to what had happened at the Lighthouse. Isaac had practically fallen apart when he thought Mia had died. "I'll fill you in on all the juicy details some other time."

Jenna still seemed a bit put out. "She doesn't seem like his type. She's so…_sweet_."

"Mia's a great girl," said Garet. "I honestly always pictured Isaac with someone like her--smart, kind, sincere, not to mention a complete knockout. Some guys have all the luck."

"Are you saying she's prettier than me?" Jenna accused.

"No, no!" Garet said nervously. When would he learn to think before he opened his big mouth? "I mean, she's nothing like you, Jenna--it's like comparing apples and oranges!"

"So now I'm an orange?"

He sighed, realizing he had backed himself into a very tight corner. No matter what he said, Jenna always made him feel like a complete idiot. "What I meant is that you're nice looking too--just in a different way, OK?"

"Well, I suppose," she said cautiously, tilting an eyebrow. She glanced back at Isaac and Mia, who were both looking out at the sea while wrapped in each other's arms. They weren't even talking to each other. "Do they do that a lot?"

"Every night. They stand out there like that each evening till dinner. Sometimes you can hear them talk, but not often." He snickered. "They make a fine decoration for the boat!"

"This is serious!" Jenna cried. "They don't even _talk_? That's just not normal!"

Garet shrugged. "Well, you know Isaac--he's not much of a talker anyway. They seem perfectly happy just in each other's company. It's like they're off in some other world."

"It still doesn't feel right to me."

"Chill out, Jenna. You should be glad for him. I haven't seen him this happy since before his father died."

"He gave her a _ring_, Garet!"

"I know. It's a magic ring that he found on our travels. What's so wrong with that?" He paused a moment. "Are you jealous or something?"

"No!" Jenna declared vehemently. "Isaac and I will never be anything more than really close friends--you know that."

"Do I?" He sounded a little jealous himself.

Jenna crossed her arms. "Nothing ever gets through that thick head of yours. I swear that I'm only looking out for him because I don't want him getting hurt. We both know he's been through enough as it is, and there's something about this that just doesn't feel right. Mia doesn't seem like the right kind of girl for him. I'm sure she's nice and all, but…"

Garet shook his head but was inwardly relieved to hear her declare her feelings with such certainty. "You just need time to adjust to it. I'm telling you, Jenna; he loves her and she makes him happy. That's all that matters."

**********

Later, Mia was brushing out her long blue hair as she got ready for bed. She now had to share her cabin, but it was quite spacious and had more than enough room for all three of the girls. Sheba watched her intently, smiling. "You look like you're floating, Mia. Why are you so happy?"

Mia blushed again. "Forgive me. I don't know what's gotten into me, but I feel giddy nearly all the time now."

Sheba giggled. "I saw you with Isaac earlier. Are you two an item or what?"

"Yes!" Mia exclaimed. "And it makes me so happy I could shout it to the whole world!"

Jenna shifted uncomfortably in her bunk.

"I'm happy for you, Mia," Sheba said. "I can tell you really love him."

"Thank you, Sheba. I do love him--I have since the moment I first looked into his eyes. I feel so alive when I'm with him, as if his very presence gives me wings. It's simply wonderful!"

"And are you sure Isaac feels the same way?" Jenna implored, not looking up from her book.

Mia was confused. "I'm not sure what you mean, Jenna."

"It's a simple question," said Jenna. "Does Isaac love you too?"

"Well, of course he does. You heard him say so yourself earlier. Why would you think otherwise?"

"Because I know Isaac," Jenna said. "What he says and what he means are two entirely different things."

"I don't understand," said Mia.

Jenna set her book aside and looked over at her. "Isaac's a truly wonderful guy, and he deserves to be happy, right? Do you really think you can make him happy, Mia? He may say he's happy with you, but he doesn't necessarily _mean_ it. He may only be saying it to keep from hurting your feelings." She sighed. "It's his one fault--he has a hard time voicing what he truly feels, especially when another person's emotions are involved."

This was true--Mia couldn't deny that. But wouldn't Isaac say something if he truly didn't want to be with her? And why would he have made that vow and given her this ring if he hadn't been sincere? She set down her brush and felt something sink deep within her. Jenna probably knew him better than anyone. If she said he would hide the truth to protect her feelings, there was definitely a possibility that he might.

"Do you really think that I can't make him happy?" Mia asked softly.

Jenna knew that instilling a bit of doubt in Mia could be enough to break them up, but it wasn't meant to be malicious. "You seem like a perfectly nice girl, Mia, but Isaac needs far more than a nice girl. He needs a girl with that little extra…_something_, you know?"

Mia swallowed hard. "Please excuse me," she said, and she swiftly left the room.

"Why'd you do that, Jenna?" Sheba asked. "She was so happy a moment ago!"

"I'm looking out for Isaac," Jenna replied plainly, going back to her reading.

_Seems to me that you're meddling,_ Sheba thought.

Even though it was getting quite late, the three boys were up on deck training as usual. Ivan was keeping score as Garet and Isaac dueled with their swords. Mia watched them from afar, admiring Isaac's skill. He seemed to easily block all of Garet's swipes, and then swiftly thrust his blade forward, stopping just as the point of his sword touched Garet's chest.

"Another point for Isaac," Ivan said. "You're pathetic tonight, Garet. He's already twelve points ahead of you!"

"Oh, be quiet," Garet scowled. "It's been a long day and I can't concentrate. What do you say we call it a night?"

"Sure," said Isaac. "Better luck tomorrow, right?" He placed his sword back in his scabbard and spotted Mia lurking around the corner. "What are you doing up? I thought you went to bed."

Ivan and Garet chuckled under their breath and quickly hustled below deck. "Good night, lovebirds!" they teased. 

"I didn't interrupt you, did I?" Mia asked as she approached Isaac.

"Not at all," he replied. "We were just stopping for the night." She was such a gorgeous sight as she stood there in her bare feet with her long hair wafting in the breeze, but her face looked troubled. "Is there something on your mind?"

Mia twisted her ring around her finger, unsure if she should say what she was thinking. It seemed so silly and paranoid. He took her shoulders and smiled.

"Come on," he coaxed gently. "We promised that we wouldn't have any secrets between us, remember?"

"Yes." She took a deep breath to gather courage. "Isaac, I…I was wondering--are you happy with me? I mean, _really_ happy?"

He looked surprised. "Where's this coming from?" She gazed at him with shiny, serious eyes, and he hugged her. "Of course I am, Mia. Whenever I see you, my heart skips a beat. You make me feel like I could hold up all of Angara."

"Really?" she asked. "You're not just saying that?"

"No, I really mean it. I love you, Mia, and I love being with you. You're amazing. But what makes you ask, anyway? You seem a little down."

"It's just that you make me feel so wonderful, and I want to make sure I do the same for you, Isaac. You deserve to be happy too."

"I am happy," Isaac said. "Don't ever doubt that. You make me a better person." He brushed some of her wafting hairs away from her face and smiled again. "Please don't be sad, Mia. I'd never lie to you--you mean far too much to me."

Mia smiled. She could see in his eyes that he truly meant every word. "Thank you. I guess I just needed to hear it. Sorry to bother you so late."

He walked her to her cabin. "You're hardly a bother. Sleep well. I'll see you in the morning."

"Good night, Isaac." They kissed and she then shut the door and flopped into bed. Jenna wrinkled her nose in frustration as she eyed her. This was going to be harder than she thought.

-------------------------------------------------

Hmm…the plot thickens! Hope you like it so far. More to come as soon as I get it typed!


	3. Chapter 3

I'm so happy with the reviews my story is getting! Thank you so much for reading it, everyone! ^_^

Disclaimer: Just remember that I don't own Golden Sun, OK?

***Chapter 3***

Several days later…

"Unusual craft you have here," Jenna said to Isaac. "How does it move without any sails or oars?"

"It's propelled by Psynergy," Isaac replied. He was trying to fix the rope ladder to the crow's nest, which had snapped in a few places from Garet's abuse.

"Oh," said Jenna. She leaned against the rail and watched him work. "Garet was telling me about some of your adventures. Did you really get arrested in Bilibin?"

Isaac laughed. "Yes. It was all a big misunderstanding though. Lord McCoy said we defied his orders by going to Kolima, and his soldiers thought that meant we broke the law. Since I'm the 'leader' of this group, I was the one who got to spend a night in jail."

"Tell me," Jenna began "I saw Garet and Ivan one day near Vault. They demanded an Antidote plant from Saturos but they wouldn't say why. And when Saturos refused, they took off towards Kalay quite urgently. Care to enlighten me on what that was about?"

"You always did have a sharp memory, Jenna," he said. "I'd practically forgotten about that."

"So why'd they need that Antidote? And why weren't you with them for that matter? You and Garet are rarely apart."

"Because the Antidote was for me," Isaac said. "Stupid, really. I was bitten by a poisonous bug in the Lamakan Desert."

"And your healer couldn't cure that on her own?" Jenna asked, sounding quite critical.

"Mia is very good at what she does, but even she has her limits. By the time we realized that bite was poisoned, the venom was already in too deep for her to cure it without an Antidote plant." Isaac cringed a bit at the memory of that wound. It was one experience he wished he'd never had. "But Saturos and Menardi had stolen all the healing items in Vault, which is where we were at the time. Garet and Ivan went to meet a supply caravan from Kalay and get that Antidote. Mia stayed behind to look after me."

Jenna looked puzzled. "Since when is a little insect venom potent enough to slow someone like you down? I've been hit with that stuff before and it wasn't a big deal." (*A/N: Kind of like a bee sting or something similar. *)

"That was no ordinary insect," he said. "Ivan thinks it was strengthened by someone or something." He paused a moment as he tied one of the ladder rungs. "It was a very deadly kind of poison."

She jumped. "Isaac, I'm so sorry! I should've been there to help you!"

"Even if you had been there, I doubt you could've done much. You can thank Mia for saving me. Her powers kept me alive until Ivan and Garet got back."

"And is that why you're with her?" Jenna asked, looking at her feet. "Out of gratitude for saving your life?"

"Of course not. It wouldn't be good to base an entire romance on gratitude. I love her for far more than that."

"Are you sure? I've known you a long time, Isaac, and she doesn't seem like your type."

"I have a 'type?'" Isaac questioned.

"You know what I mean. I always pictured you with someone bolder and more confident."

"You mean someone like you?"

Jenna blushed slightly. "Well…yes! Mia seems nice enough, but she's kind of quiet and shy. And how do we know that she can be trusted? She told me that Alex is her former apprentice, and _he's_ certainly not to be trusted. I have no idea why my brother insisted on letting him stay on with us. He gives me the creeps."

"Mia is nothing like Alex," said Isaac resolutely. "He'd been gone a year before she even found out he'd joined up with Saturos, and then he betrayed Mia's trust by lighting the Mercury Lighthouse." He knotted the last broken rung. "Why are you so down on her, anyway? You only met her a few days ago--give her a chance."

"I know, but you mean a lot to me, Isaac, and you've been through so much. I'd hate to see you have your heart broken."

Isaac smiled. "I've missed talking to you like this. But you needn't worry about me or my relationship with Mia. We made a vow to each other and we both intend to keep it no matter what happens. You should worry less about my love life and focus more on your own."

Her whole face turned bright red. "Isaac! That's terribly presumptuous of you!"

Drops of rain started to fall from above, interrupting their conversation. The sky slowly darkened ominously as the wind picked up. "It looks like we're in for a bad one," Isaac said, observing the clouds. "Go round up the others and tell them to be on guard. This could get ugly."

"Right." She went to find the others and Isaac dashed to the helm, where Mia was controlling the ship with the Black Orb.

"The ocean's getting rough," she said. "It's taking more power to steady the ship."

"Can you hold out long enough to get us through?" he asked.

"Yes, as long as we're not stuck in the thick of it for long. Go tend to the rest of the ship, Captain. I'll be all right."

The heavens fully opened with a thundering roar and sheets of heavy rain made it difficult to see anything ahead. Ivan struggled against the howling wind to get to the crow's nest, in hopes that he could use Reveal to see through the storm. The rain was frigid, and when combined with the wind, made the travelers feel quite cold. To top it off, the ship bounced up and down on the waves like a really bad carnival ride, taking everyone's stomachs with it.

"I knew I shouldn't have eaten such a big lunch," Garet complained.

"Be careful up there, Ivan!" Sheba called.

"Can you see anything?" Isaac added.

Ivan gripped the railing as tightly as he could and cast Reveal to clear away the murk. "Nothing yet!" he hollered down to the others.

"Is that good news or bad?" Jenna asked.

Mia focused her Psynergy with all her might to keep the ship righted, feeling that her head would burst at any moment. But she'd hold on until the Black Orb sucked out every last ounce of her power if she had to. She expertly guided the vessel amidst the mighty wind and the wild ocean, unwilling to let either claim her friends or her lover. And she kept her ears open for sudden announcements from Ivan in the crow's nest.

"Really big wave dead ahead!" Ivan shouted. "Hard to port!"

Mia willed the ship to the left but part of the wave still crashed onto the deck. The sudden surge of water swept Sheba all the way to the stern, but at least she didn't fall overboard. Garet slipped in the giant puddle and started cursing at the ocean at the top of his voice. 

Ivan started to cast Reveal again when another wave jostled the boat and he fell over. Trying again, he stood up, cast Reveal, and spotted something in the distance. Was it a wave? No, it was…

"Land!" he hollered as loudly as he could. "Full reverse!!"

Too late. The ship ran aground, the force of the impact sending everyone flying. Ivan himself nearly fell from his post, but luckily managed to grab hold of the ladder first. Though the storm persisted, the ship was firmly planted where it sat and didn't rock at all with the crashing waves.

"Do you think we're safe here?" Sheba asked.

"Garet, go see if we're taking on water," said Isaac. He leaned over the side of the ship but couldn't see any immediate damage to the vessel. This was one heck of a way to discover solid ground!

"Everything below deck is dry," Garet said, reappearing. "I think we're OK."

"Then we can wait this storm out inside, right?" Jenna questioned.

"Right," Isaac agreed. "We can find out where we are once the storm subsides."

**********

"I am so sick of getting wet at every turn!" Garet growled as he wrung out his wet clothes. "I hope we won't be sailing again for awhile."

"This has been quite a voyage," Ivan said. "For over a month we saw nothing but open ocean and in the past week we've hit land twice. What were the chances of that?" He pulled the blanket from his bed around his small frame. "Is it cold in here or is it me?"

"You'll feel better once you dry off," said Garet. "Stupid water."

Ivan nodded and sat down on his bunk, shivering slightly. "What are you reading, Isaac?"

"Probably a manual for young lovers," Garet teased.

"For your information, it's a book about Adept classes," said Isaac. "Sheesh. Mia isn't the _only_ thing I think about."

"Only the thing you think _most_ about," Garet pressed. "She's in the back of your mind right now, isn't she?"

Isaac blushed slightly but continued reading. Ivan and Garet both snickered. "Look at him blush!" said Garet. "He looks like a tomato!"

"Ah, leave him alone," Ivan said. "You're just jealous because he has a girl and you don't."

"No I'm not!"

"Yeah right. You can't hide these kinds of things from a mind reader you know."

Garet grimaced, not wanting to admit that Ivan was right as usual. "So what's it like, Isaac?"

"What's what like?" Isaac asked, still reading.

"Being with Mia. Being in _love_."

Isaac thought a moment, trying to find the right words. "It's hard to explain. It's kinda like that upsurge of power you feel after a level four summon, only it lasts the whole time. Just having her near me makes me feel like I have endless Psynergy and that I can do anything. That must sound really silly, but I don't know how else to describe it."

"No," said Ivan. "She has quite an effect on you for sure, and I don't know if anyone could find the exact words to properly describe that."

"Some guys have all the luck," Garet said. He thought about Jenna and wondered if he'd ever have the nerve to tell her that he liked her as more than a friend.

Just then, Ivan felt an odd tinge in the back of his mind. He'd been starting to get premonitions now--a direct result of his growing power and experience. He focused his Psynergy to get a closer look while the other two watched.

"What did you see, Ivan?" Isaac asked.

Ivan looked a bit uncomfortable. "This is the first vision I've ever received about any of us. Usually they're only about places or objects." He bit his lower lip. "You may not like it, Isaac. It's about you and Mia."

"Me and Mia?" Isaac looked worried. "What about us?"

"There's some kind of force trying to come between the two of you," said Ivan. "I don't know what kind of force it is, but it's very strong, and it wants to drive Mia as far away from you as possible."

"But how?" Isaac questioned. "And why?"

"I'm sorry, but I don't know. It gets worse too. If my vision is correct, than she could be in great danger if this force successfully pushes her away."

_Mia in danger?_ The very thought sent a shiver down Isaac's spine. He shut his book and tried to think of what this force could be. What in the world could possibly come between them? They'd made a vow to always stay together--what could be powerful enough to destroy that?

"Don't worry about it, Isaac," Garet reassured him. "You two are crazy about each other. Mia wouldn't let anything chase her away from you."

"True," Ivan added. "My premonitions are still quite weak. This one may not mean anything."

"Still…" Isaac trailed. He stood up and pulled his still damp clothes back on. "I'll be back. I'm going to go see her."

Garet and Ivan nodded knowingly and watched him leave. "Sometimes I wish I didn't have this power," Ivan said. "I may have caused him to worry for nothing."

"It'll be OK, Ivan," said Garet. "I'm sure everything will work out somehow. Isaac would never let Mia go without a fight."

------------------------------------------------------------------

Foreshadowing is cool! ^_^ Next chapter, the storm escalates, and I'm not talking about the weather!


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I don't own Golden Sun and I don't even want to. Camelot rules! The original elements in this tale are mine, though.

***Chapter 4***

The ship had a small library deep in its recesses, and Mia was searching the shelves in hopes of finding something interesting to read. There weren't many other ways to pass a rainy day. The howling wind and pelting rain outside could still be heard quite clearly, indicating that the storm had no intention of going away anytime soon. None of the titles on the shelves seemed to jump out at her, though, and she was about to give up when she bumped into Jenna.

"Perhaps you'll find this one interesting," Jenna said, handing her a book.

"_'Love and Deception,'_" Mia read from the cover. "Provocative title isn't it?"

"It's about a handsome young man from a small village and his close girlfriend. The two of them are torn apart by a terrible war, and when they're finally reunited, the girlfriend discovers that the man thinks he's in love with some awful little scamp from the middle of nowhere."

"Sounds interesting," said Mia, feeling a bit uncomfortable. "But I think I'll look for something else instead."

"Oh, I think you should read it," Jenna said. "It's right up your alley. Wouldn't you agree?"

Mia shyly backed away from her, wishing to avoid what could become another nasty confrontation. In the days since Jenna joined the crew, she'd been hounding Mia about her relationship with Isaac, and each time they discussed it, Jenna's words grew harsher. Mia knew that she should probably tell Isaac about it, but she didn't want to interfere with their friendship. Jenna was important to him, and Mia thought it would be unfair to make him take sides.

"What's the matter?" Jenna asked. "Is the truth too much for you to handle?"

"I don't understand why you're being so mean to me," Mia said softly. "What did I do to make you hate me so much?"

"Do I really have to spell it out for you again? You're not worthy of being Isaac's love! You're just some shy, shrinking violet, incapable of expressing true emotions. You never even raise your voice! How am I supposed to believe that you can love Isaac as much as you say you do?"

"Perhaps some people are just better at controlling their frustrations," Mia said with an icy glare.

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?!" Jenna demanded angrily. Mia didn't answer, turning away from her.

"If you think you can ignore me, you're sadly mistaken," Jenna growled, grabbing her shoulder. "I'm not giving up until I get through to you!"

"Through to _me_?" Mia implored. "You're the one who stubbornly refuses to accept that Isaac loves me! What's wrong with you? Don't you want him to be happy?"

"Of course I do, but that's not the point. The point is that you can't make him happy!"

"But he is happy with me. Take one good look into his eyes and you can see it for yourself."

"He only thinks he's happy," said Jenna resolutely. "He may say he's happy; he might even believe it himself, but I know what's best for him overall. And it sure isn't some home-wrecking harridan from a winter wasteland!"

"Jenna, why are you so against me? Was it something I said? Something I did? Tell me, please and maybe we can work this out."

"Work what out? You're weak-willed, emotionally needy, and you don't possess any powers beyond healing. What can you possibly offer Isaac that no one else can? He needs a girl with real passion and power--someone capable of protecting him from any kind of harm."

"I can protect him," Mia said. "I may be a healer, but the powers of Mercury extend far beyond healing. If we encounter some monsters in this new land, I'll show you what I can do."

"And let you on the battlefield?" Jenna demanded. "I don't think so! You're just waiting for the right moment to strike! I'll bet you're still in cahoots with your old friend Alex!"

"How dare you accuse me of such a thing!" Mia said indignantly. "Alex and I parted ways long ago and I have no intentions of reconciling with him. If anyone here can't be trusted it's _you_. Your brother is the reason this quest started in the first place!"

Jenna glowered and slapped Mia across the face as hard as she could. "Don't you dare talk about Felix like that! You don't even know what he's been through!"

Mia's felt her whole face throbbing and blood was slowly seeping from her nose. She started to cast Ply to heal it when Jenna smacked her again.

"That's a good look for you," she taunted. "Let's see how much Isaac loves you when your precious face is marred!"

"I wonder what he'd say if he found out you were the one who marred it?" said Mia calmly. "You're treading on thin ice, Jenna. Do you realize what he'd do if he found out you were treating me this way?"

"Oh, he'd be mad at me at first, but after a while I'm sure that he'd thank me. You think you have him wrapped around your little finger, but it's only a matter of time before he sees you for what you really are--a useless, pathetic, cowardly thief of hearts!"

Mia cast Ply to stop her bleeding nose before it got worse. "I don't want to be your enemy, Jenna. Can't we please stop this silly fighting and try to get along? For Isaac's sake?"

"No, because he deserves better!" Jenna cried. "You're not worthy of someone like him! All you are is just some meek little healer from the middle of nowhere! I don't care what you say or how much you try to get on my good side, Mia--you don't deserve him, and I intend to do everything in my power to prove it! You're the sorriest excuse for an Adept I've ever met! You're just another pretty face, and sooner or later, Isaac will realize it too!"

Mia shrank away from her. She'd never been yelled at like this, and it hurt a lot. She wanted so badly to do the right thing and make peace with Jenna, but it was crystal clear that it couldn't be done. Why was Jenna being so cruel? What had she done to invoke such passionate hatred? Was loving Isaac really so wrong? She tried to voice something in her defense, but the words got stuck in her throat and she started to cry instead.

"Yeah, go ahead and sob like the coward you are," said Jenna bitterly. "I think I've made my point abundantly clear." She walked out of the library and bumped into Isaac in the hall.

"Hey, Jenna," he said. "Have you seen Mia by any chance? I went to your room and Sheba said she was down here."

"She's in there," Jenna replied, indicating the library. "Something's gotten her awfully upset and she's crying."

"What?" Isaac was shocked. "What happened?"

Jenna shrugged. "She wouldn't say. Maybe she'll talk to you."

Isaac nodded. "Thanks Jenna. You're a real friend."

"Of course," she said with a sweet smile.

Isaac found Mia huddled in the back of the room sobbing quietly. "Mia? What's the matter? What happened?"

She stood up and threw her arms around him. He had perfect timing. "Oh, Isaac! You're just the person I wanted to see!"

He returned her embrace and gave her a few moments to collect herself before asking his questions again. "What happened, Mia? What's got you so upset?"

"I'm sorry, Isaac. I know we promised we wouldn't keep secrets, but I can't tell you."

"Why not?"

"Because I couldn't hurt you like that." She placed her head in the grove of his shoulder and drew in her sniffles. "I'll be OK."

Isaac wasn't convinced. "Mia, whatever it is, you can tell me, I swear. Please, let me help you."

"No. Forgive me, but it's better if you don't know."

"Why? I don't understand."

"You don't have to. Just let it go." She squeezed him tight, desperately trying to forget about all the nasty things Jenna had said. "I love you, Isaac. Sometimes I think you're the only thing that makes sense in my life right now."

For once, Isaac wished that he could read minds. Whatever had upset Mia was clearly hurting her far more than she was letting on, and knowing about Ivan's premonition this was especially troubling.

"I wish you'd tell me what's bothering you," he said. "You're the most important thing to me and I don't want anything to come between us. I'm here for you, Mia. I won't ever leave you."

She nodded. "I know." A few stray tears fell from her eyes. This felt so right and so wrong all at once. If only she could stay like this forever--safe from the world and alone with her true love. What would it be like if they were the only two people on this ship? How she wished that she had the courage to stand up to Jenna or that they'd never landed at Idejima in the first place. The sobs welled up within her again. She wouldn't have to endure those verbal assaults if she broke up with Isaac, but how could she ever turn her back on the one she loved with all her being?

"Are you sure you're OK?" Isaac asked.

Mia forced a smile. "Yes, thanks to you. I'm sorry to worry you like this. I'm just having a bad day--probably the weather."

He didn't believe that for a moment, but figured he should let it go for now. They spent the rest of the evening alone together. For a short while, Mia forgot about her fight with Jenna, but then it got late and she had to return to her cabin. Isaac puzzled over how uneasy she seemed when they parted for the night, and he again wished that he could read her mind and find out what she was hiding.

Jenna wasn't in the room at the moment, which was a huge relief. Mia sat on her bed and sighed in fatigue. Sheba went over to her.

"Mia, you can't go on like this," she said. "You don't deserve to be treated so badly. If you don't want to tell Isaac, I will for you."

"No, Sheba, you can't. It'd be unfair to make him choose sides. Jenna's his friend."

"And you're his love! This isn't right at all--you didn't do anything to warrant this kind of abuse from her!"

"I know. But I can't drag Isaac into this. Forcing him to choose between Jenna and I would only make things worse. She's important to him, and I couldn't bear being responsible for breaking up their friendship."

"Well, if you ask me, Jenna's violated her friendship with Isaac by treating you this way. A real friend would stay out of his affairs."

"She's trying to protect him the only way she knows how," Mia said. "I can't fault her for that. There must be a way to get through to her and show her that I'm not so bad."

"But can you last that long?" Sheba questioned. "This will get a lot worse before it gets any better, and I can tell you're near your breaking point as it is. You're strong, Mia, but there's only so much you can even be expected to take." She edged a little closer. "You're already thinking of giving up, aren't you?"

"It's impossible to hide anything from a mind reader."

"See? Let me help you, Mia. Let me talk to Isaac."

"No," said Mia sternly. "I appreciate your concern, Sheba, but I don't want you breathing a word of this to anyone--especially Isaac. Promise me you won't!"

Sheba looked at her sadly and sighed. "All right, I promise."

"Thank you."

Jenna came in and frowned when she saw the two of them together. "Taking sides, Sheba? After all my brother and I have done for you?"

"I'm only being a sympathetic ear," Sheba said. "I want to help you both be friends."

"That won't ever happen," said Jenna. "I won't even consider being friends with a useless interloper." She glared at Mia. "For your sake, you'd better hope that she's telling the truth. If you think you've got it bad now, it'll get worse if you try to steal more of my friends."

Mia edged away to the corner of her bed, clutching her knees. "Please, Jenna--it's late and I'm tired."

"Such vanity!" Jenna mocked. "Or is it because all of that pathetic weeping you did earlier wore you out?"

"Leave me alone," Mia begged. "I don't want to fight anymore."

"Then you shouldn't be here. This is a dangerous quest. How do you expect to handle enemies when you're not even willing to stand up to someone like me? You're definitely not suited to a life of adventure. You're too weak."

"Jenna, please…" Sheba began. "It's late. Let's just go to bed."

Jenna fumed a bit. "All right, but hear me now and hear me well, Mia. I'm not giving up this pursuit until I get through that pretty little head of yours. You don't belong here and you certainly don't belong with Isaac. And I'll do whatever it takes to protect him from you."

In the darkness and silence, Mia laid awake listening to the storm outside and trying hard to get Jenna's threats out of her mind. But she couldn't--those horrible words kept wrapping around her like dozens of choking vines. She could feel them pulling her down into a dark abyss of sadness and loneliness, and there was no one to pull her back. What should she do? Her whole body felt like it was shrinking and trying to suffocate her. She felt so hurt and alone. How could she make it stop? _Oh, Isaac,_ she thought. _I love you so much, but I think Jenna may be right. You deserve someone who's willing to stand up to her, and I don't have the strength to do it._ And with that realization, she knew what her next course of action had to be.

-------------------------------------------------------------

*Whew!* That chapter was a little intense, no? I think I might've made Jenna a little meaner than I intended, but oh well. What will poor Mia do now?


	5. Chapter 5

Well, I had a feeling some Jenna lovers wouldn't be too fond of the last chapter. Don't worry about it! I'm not anti-Jenna at all, but I had to make this story dramatic _somehow_! Just wait and see what happens--she might redeem herself! 

Disclaimer: Nope, still don't own Golden Sun, and I don't expect that to change anytime soon.

***Chapter 5***

Come sunrise, the sky was clear and the winds calm. The three boys stood out on deck and gazed at their new discovery. Where had the winds taken them? Had they found Lemuria or someplace else?

"What's taking those women so long?" Garet asked impatiently. "I'm itching for adventure!"

"Give them time," said Ivan. "Where were you last night, Isaac? I didn't hear you come in."

"Mia and I were up late talking. She was really upset about something but she wouldn't say what." He looked concerned. "I'm worried about her. What if it has something to do with your prediction?"

Sheba and Jenna came outside. "Well, that makes five," said Garet. "Where's Mia?"

"I don't know," Sheba said. She handed Isaac a folded piece of paper with his name on it. "This was on her bed."

Bewildered, Isaac unfolded the note and started to read it. The others watched him intently as his expression changed from shock, to confusion, and then to complete despair.

"What?" Garet asked. "What is it?"

Unable to speak, Isaac handed over the note and everyone peaked over Garet's shoulders to read it.

__

Dear Isaac,  
By the time you read this, I will have already left you and the others far behind me. Please understand that you didn't do anything to make me want to leave. I love you more than words can say and I'll always desire to be with you. But I feel that our love may be too powerful for either of us to control and I fear that I might inadvertently come between you and the rest of your life. I couldn't bear making you sacrifice so many other opportunities for my sake alone--it wouldn't be right. I believe that it's best for everyone concerned that we remain apart. I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me for breaking my promise and hurting you this way. You're my first love--my only love--and I'll never, ever forget you.

Eternally yours,  
Mia

There was a long, stunned silence when everyone had finished reading the letter. Even Jenna was a bit shocked that her efforts to drive Mia away had actually succeeded. Isaac could feel his heart shattering to pieces. How could he have let this happen? He'd known that there was something wrong with her last night--why had he left her all alone when she needed him? And now she was gone because of his inaction! He slowly sank to the floor, trying to fight off the sorrow bubbling up from deep within him. Garet kneeled next to him and put a hand on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry, Isaac," he said.

"I don't understand," said Ivan, shaking his head in disbelief. "Why would she leave? This is so unlike Mia!"

"Maybe it's for the best," Jenna said kindly, hugging Isaac. "It'll be OK, Isaac. You'll see."

Sheba felt ill. She had to say something. She had to tell them about all the terrible things Jenna had said. Mia had made her promise not to say anything, but how could she keep such a promise now?

"I guess you're premonition was right after all, Ivan," said Garet.

"Premonition?" Sheba questioned in surprise. "What premonition?"

"I had a vision last night," Ivan explained. "I saw some kind of force trying to drive Mia away."

Jenna tensed. "A force? What kind of a force?"

"I don't know," Ivan said. "Did Mia give you any clue at all last night, Isaac?"

"No," Isaac replied, rubbing at his eyes. 

"Wasn't there another part to that premonition?" Garet asked.

Ivan nodded. "My vision told me that if Mia left us, her life could be at risk. And since it was right about the force, it could be right about that too."

"Then we have to find her!" Sheba cried. "We can't leave her all alone out there without any help!"

"But why?" Jenna questioned. "She's made it clear that she doesn't want to be found. Would you have us drag her back here against her will? And what about Isaac? It's hard enough that she left in the first place and now you want to put him through a confrontation with her? That's cruel!"

"Well, it's your call then, Isaac," said Garet. "Should we go look for Mia?"

Isaac reread her letter, still unwilling to believe that she'd want to take off like this. He paid more attention to the note's wording this time, and realized that this didn't make much sense. If he hadn't done anything to drive her away, then why did she think they were better off apart? And if she truly didn't want to stay, why hadn't she returned his ring--the symbol of their vow? Wouldn't it have too much meaning attached to it to make her want to keep it? Something wasn't right here. He had to find out the truth.

"We'll split up and go look for her," he said as he stood up.

"But Isaac!" Jenna protested. "Think about her letter! I think you're better off just washing your hands of her. You can't let her play with your emotions like this!"

"This is something I have to do, Jenna," said Isaac. "Even if she won't come back, I have to know exactly what drove her away."

Jenna felt her stomach do a flip. She'd put too much certainty in Mia's silence. What if Isaac found out about their arguments? Would he understand why she did what she did? "I still think this is a bad idea. Let her go, Isaac. I know this hurts now, but you'll get over it eventually. Just give it time."

"I appreciate your concern, Jenna," he said. "But I can't let this go. Not now--not like this." He turned to the others. "We'll meet back here at sunset, all right?"

"All right," said Ivan. "Be careful out there, everyone. And don't do anything stupid, Garet!"

"Oh, please," Garet scowled. "I can take care of myself."

As they all split off in different directions, Ivan paused when he noticed how troubled Sheba looked. "What's the matter, Sheba?" he asked.

Sheba bowed her head. "I'd love to tell you, Ivan, but I made a promise to Mia."

"Do you know why she left?" Ivan asked. She nodded. "Why didn't you say something? This could be important!"

"I know, but Mia made me promise not to say anything. I don't want to go back on my word even if she is gone."

"Promises aren't important if keeping them could hurt somebody," said Ivan. "You can trust me, Sheba."

"But this isn't an ordinary secret," Sheba said. "It involves people besides Mia." She paused a moment and suddenly had an idea. "Read my mind, Ivan! I promised not to _say_ anything, so if you read my mind, I technically won't be breaking my promise!"

"Well, all right, I guess." He cast Mind Read and peered deep into Sheba's memory. He saw everything she knew about Jenna and Mia's arguments. Startled, he took a step back when he was finished.

"It's awful, isn't it?" Sheba questioned.

"Unbelievable," Ivan said in surprise. "What in the name of Jupiter possessed Jenna to do such a thing? I thought she was Isaac's friend!"

Sheba shrugged. "Jenna was convinced that Mia wasn't right for Isaac. I guess she figured that she was protecting him somehow by pushing Mia away. Who knows? I sure don't understand it."

"This is worse than I imagined!" Ivan exclaimed. "It's not bad enough that Isaac lost Mia, but what's going to happen when he finds out that Jenna's responsible for it?" He shook his head. "Poor Mia! No wonder she left. I don't think anyone would want to put up with that!"

"Mia didn't want to make Isaac choose sides, but she should've spoken up. If I'd known about your premonition, I wouldn't have made that promise to her and I'd have told someone. I only hope that it's not too late to set things right. If she's been harmed in any way, I'll never forgive myself."

"Don't worry, Sheba. This isn't your fault--it's Jenna's. It's only a matter of time before Isaac finds out what happened, and when he does, I'm sure the sparks will fly. He loved Mia more than anything--I could feel it radiating off of him!"

"Me too," Sheba said. "This is a terrible mess. I hope one of us finds her before things get any worse." She turned to go. "Thank you, Ivan. I don't feel as guilty now."

"Anytime. I'll see you back here at sunset."

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sorry this is a little shorter than normal, but it's a good stopping place. Stay tuned for Chapter 6!


	6. Chapter 6

Parts of this chapter are kinda mushy. Don't say I didn't warn you!

Disclaimer: This is a _fan _fiction, therefore I am a _fan_ of Golden Sun, not the owner of it!

***Chapter 6***

Sometime after midday, Mia stopped to rest on a large stone in a small forest clearing. She clutched her knees as she rubbed at her eyes--they were tired and red from all the crying she'd done since last night. Writing that letter had been beyond difficult, and even now it was taking every ounce of her will to press forward and not run back to the ship. Only the memories of her confrontations with Jenna made it possible to keep going. She glanced up to check the sun's position. Isaac would've found her letter by now. _He must be so angry with me, not to mention devastated,_ she thought. _I hope he can forgive me_. She looked down at her ring--her one memento of their time together. She had meant to return it, but hadn't been able to bring herself to take it off. It had too many fond memories wrapped around it.

The sound of footsteps behind her snapped her out of her thoughts. She jumped to her feet and whirled around to see what was there. An enemy? A wild animal? No, it was...

"Isaac?" she asked in stunned disbelief.

"Mia!" he exclaimed softly. _Thank goodness she's all right_, he thought. They were barely a few yards apart but it seemed like a thousand miles. He didn't think that her bright aqua eyes had ever looked so sad, and he fought off all temptation to run to her and never let her go. Clearly, this was difficult for her too.

"You...you shouldn't have followed me," she said, avoiding his gaze. "It only makes this harder on both of us." Writing the letter had been hard enough, but seeing him face to face was completely unbearable. His eyes looked so hurt and betrayed. More than anything, she wanted to take back what she'd said in that letter.

"Why'd you do it, Mia?" Isaac asked. "You said in your letter that it wasn't anything I did. If it's not me, then what is it?"

She shook her head. "Just go away. Don't make this any more difficult than it already is." There was a huge lump stuck in her throat. She lowered her voice. "Please don't make me hurt you again."

"I can't let you leave like this, Mia. You're hiding something from me, and I won't let you go without telling me what it is. I think you owe me that much."

"The truth would only hurt you more," Mia said. "Just go back to the ship and forget about me."

"You expect me to forget about you just like that?" he implored. "It doesn't work that way. You can't fall in love one moment and then forget all about it the next! I don't care what your secret is--it can't hurt me anymore than losing you. So why don't you just tell me what it is?"

Mia shook her head again and backed away a few steps. "I'm so sorry for hurting you, Isaac. I only wish my healing powers could make it go away for you."

He sighed. "Never mind that. What about you? I can see this secret eating away at you. Please, let me help you!"

"Oh, Isaac," she said with a faint smile. "You're so good to me, even after I broke your heart. I truly don't deserve you."

"Will you stop thinking about what I deserve and think about what I _want_? I want an explanation, that's all." He lowered his voice. "And if possible, I want you back. I love you, Mia. Tell me, what can I do to get you back? I'll do whatever it takes--anything at all!"

She turned her back to him and rubbed at her eyes. "You don't have to do anything," she whispered barely audibly. "I want nothing more than to stay with you always. I'd run to you right now and never let go of you if I could."

"Really?" Isaac asked. She felt the same way! He slowly approached her from behind. "What's stopping you?"

"Just go away. You're better off without me."

"I don't believe that, and I don't think you do either. You're still wearing the ring I gave you, which tells me that you still believe in our promise." He got close enough to touch her and gingerly took her hand. She resisted at first, but soon found herself intertwining her fingers with his. She started to cry.

"Isaac, I can't do this! Please just let me go and forget about me."

Her hand was trembling as if out of fear. "I don't understand. What is it that's got you scared enough to run from me?"

"Leave me alone!" she sobbed, yanking away her hand. Her will told her to run away and not look back, but her heart desperately told her to stay put. She didn't know which one to obey, and after a moment she collapsed to her knees and just cried. What had she done to deserve this? Was having to reject Isaac in person her punishment for not standing up to Jenna?

"Mia!" Isaac said in concern. He'd never seen her this upset. It was as if her spirit had been ripped to shreds. What on Angara had hurt her so deeply? He wanted to find out so he could beat the source to a pulp. Unsure of what to do, he followed his instincts and held her tightly. She didn't resist at all. They stayed locked in that embrace for quite awhile until Mia got her tears under control. Then she promptly pushed him away.

"I hate seeing you like this," he said. "Can't I do anything to help you?"

"Just go away," said Mia miserably. "If you love me as much as you say you do, you'll let me go."

Isaac clenched his fists. "If I ever find out what hurt you like this, I swear I will destroy it! This is the cruelest injustice I've ever witnessed!"

She visibly shuddered, and he noticed this reaction and thought it a bit odd. He looked at her a moment and realized something that he hadn't before.

"Wait a minute," he said. "You keep saying that I didn't do anything to drive you away. Does that mean it was something someone else did?"

Mia edged away a bit. "Don't make me say it! Just leave it alone. The answer will only hurt you more!"

"I'm right, aren't I?" he pressed. He thought a moment. Who would want to drive Mia away? Certainly not Garet or Ivan, since they were her friends too. Then it hit him. The one person who might be interested in pushing her away. The one person who had already expressed some dislike of her. The one person with the ability to put the fear of the gods into anyone if need be.

"Jenna..." he whispered in shock. "It was Jenna, wasn't it?" Mia stayed silent but he knew he was right. He fumed, smacking his forehead for his stupidity. "How could I have been so blind? I should've picked up on this sooner!" He took her shoulders. "What did she say to you, Mia? Tell me everything!"

"No, Isaac--it's in the past. Dredging it up won't help at all." She bowed her head. "Do you understand now?"

"Yes, all too well. Jenna used to say that she wouldn't let me fall for someone she didn't approve of. I never thought that she was serious!" He gently lifted up Mia's chin so that their eyes met. "Why didn't you tell me? You shouldn't have had to put up with that."

"I didn't want to make you take sides. Jenna's your friend and I didn't want to come between the two of you. It wouldn't have been right."

"What's _not_ right is her making you feel like you couldn't stay." He embraced her again. "I'm so sorry, Mia! I should've been there to protect you!"

Mia returned his embrace, feeling both guilty and relieved that the truth was out. A huge weight lifted from her. "You must be mad at me for hiding this from you."

"No, not at all," Isaac said. "I'm mad at Jenna for interfering in our relationship. Mia, if I talked to her and got her to leave you alone, would you come back?"

"I don't want you sacrificing your friendship with her for my sake."

"That won't happen. I swear that we can make this work, but you're going to have to trust me and let me help, OK?"

"I do trust you," she said. "If you promise to go easy on Jenna, then I'll gladly come back."

They both smiled broadly and shared a long kiss, happy to be reunited. Behind them, something rustled in the thicket and two figures entered the clearing.

"This is like a scene from a romance novel," came a voice. Isaac and Mia sprang to their feet and spun around to see who was there.

"Alex!" Mia exclaimed.

"Felix!" Isaac cried at the same time.

"Hello, Isaac," said Felix. "Long time no see."

Isaac crossed his arms and stood protectively in front of Mia. "What are you doing here? And where's Kraden?"

"The old man's not important," Alex said. "We're here for something far more valuable." He vanished in a flash of blue light and reappeared behind them. "You're looking lovely as ever, Mia. How are you anyway?"

Mia stood back to back with Isaac, frowning at her former apprentice. "I was fine until you showed up. What do you want?"

"We're on our way to the next Lighthouse," said Felix. "But we seem to be missing a few key components, such as my sister and Sheba. You wouldn't by chance know where they are?"

"So what if we did?" Isaac asked.

"Don't make this difficult," Felix said. "I left Sheba and Jenna behind at Idejima while we went to investigate. When we returned, they were both gone. It's impossible to leave an island without a boat, and I know that Jenna wouldn't go with just anybody. My guess is that they've both joined up with you."

"We're not about to tell you where they are," said Mia.

"They always insist on doing things the hard way," Alex scoffed. "Won't you help us as an old friend? It's not like we're going to hurt either of them." He smiled. "You should join us, Mia. I'd hate to see such a pretty face ravaged by battle."

"I don't understand what you're trying to accomplish, Alex," she said. "What good will come from igniting the Lighthouse flames?"

"You wouldn't understand," said Felix. "These matters are beyond your comprehension. If you're not with us, you're against us, and I'm willing to fight you if that's what it comes to."

"Do you really think you can match me?" Isaac asked. "I helped defeat Saturos and Menardi. Even you said that you were no match for me, Felix!"

"True, but don't you think I might've learned a few tricks in the past weeks?" He drew his sword. "Are you really prepared to test your confidence, Isaac? You don't stand a chance!"

Isaac reached for the Gaia Blade. "You don't scare me, Felix. I'll do whatever it takes to stop you."

"You're a fool," Felix said. He cast a powerful earth attack, one that Isaac had never seen before. It took him by complete surprise and blew him and Mia several feet away. Mia hit her head on a tree root and was knocked senseless.

"Mia, get up!" Isaac said, shaking her. Felix cast the same earth attack again. It was like a tremendous orb of golden energy crashing down all at once. Isaac rose and cast Ragnarok, but Felix dodged the shot. So he tried Stone Spire instead, and a bunch of rock fragments fell from the sky. One of them grazed Felix's right shoulder, but Alex got by unscathed. He called up a geyser and blasted Isaac and Mia further into the woods.

"This is so messy," Alex said, healing Felix's wound. "Must these things always end in violence?"

Grabbing Mia, Isaac ducked deep into the thicket, hoping to elude them for a moment. He had to get back to the ship and find the others. 

"No use hiding in there," Alex continued. "You'll only delay the inevitable." 

"I thought you wanted to fight, Isaac?" Felix implored, creeping into the thicket. "Come on out of there and we'll settle this properly."

Cautiously, Isaac took a few steps back, not realizing that he was on the edge of a steep embankment. He lost his footing and tumbled down the hill with Mia still in his arms, coming to land in a collection of sharp nettles. Felix and Alex heard his pained cry and looked down the embankment.

"That's gotta hurt!" Alex laughed.

Felix snickered a bit. "I must say that's something I would've expected of your clumsy friend Garet. Do you surrender?"

"Never!" Isaac called from below.

"Pathetic," Felix said. He crossed his arms and suddenly had an idea. "Change of plans, Alex."

"Oh?" Alex asked, sounding quite intrigued.

"Since they've taken a few members of our group, we'll have to compensate for the shortage," said Felix. "Are you catching my drift?"

Alex grinned. "This will work perfectly. Let's see how long our pursuers can last without a healer."

Before Isaac could react, Mia's motionless form suddenly disappeared from beside him. He looked up the embankment and saw her reappear in Alex's arms.

"Give her back!" Isaac demanded.

"Your girlfriend will be safe," Felix said. "If you want her back, meet us at the next Lighthouse and we'll work out a deal. Until then, Isaac."

"No!" Isaac cried. He pried himself free of the grasping thorns, but the three of them disappeared in a flash of blue light before he could reach them. Mia was gone without a trace.

----------------------------------------------------

Another plot twist! (I am so cruel to be doing this to poor Isaac and Mia!) Wondering what happens? Well, you'll just have to wait for Chapter 7, so there!


	7. Chapter 7

Such great reviews! I didn't think anyone would want to read another silly GS romance, but I guess I was wrong. Thanks so much for all the great feedback!

Disclaimer (in a sing-song voice): I love Camelot 'cause they made this great game, and I wouldn't dare steal it because I want them to make many, many, more!!

***Chapter 7***

"It's getting really late," said Sheba. "Where could they be?"

The sun's last rays faded as night enveloped the land. Garet, Jenna, Ivan and Sheba had all gathered on the beach near the ship, waiting for Isaac and hopefully Mia as well. But so far there was no sign of either of them, and the others were starting to worry.

"They'll be here," Garet said with more certainty than he felt. "It probably took them awhile to hash everything out and they lost track of the time."

Jenna frowned. "I knew this was a bad idea. We should've let Mia go and stayed together when we explored."

Ivan gave her a nasty glare. "You have no one to blame for this but yourself. If you hadn't chased Mia away, we _would've_ stayed together!"

"Ivan!" Sheba cried. "You can't!"

"Hey, _I_ didn't make any promises to Mia," Ivan said. He looked back to Jenna. "You ought to be ashamed of yourself!"

"What are you talking about?" Garet asked.

"Why don't you ask Jenna?" Ivan implored. "She knows perfectly well what I'm talking about."

"Don't look at me!" Jenna said nervously.

Sheba crossed her arms and sighed, resigned to the fact that this couldn't remain a secret any longer. This wouldn't end well. "It's a long story, Garet, and I don't think you're going to like a word of it."

"How come I am _always_ the last to know about these things?!" Garet demanded. "Come clean right now before I get really mad!"

"Go ahead and tell him, Jenna," said Ivan. "Tell him how you hounded poor Mia until she was so hurt and broken that she left. Tell him how you called her a pathetic, cowardly home wrecker and an unworthy thief of hearts. Tell him how ever since you joined our crew you've been out to destroy her relationship with Isaac!"

There was a long, uncomfortable pause. The two Jupiter Adepts stared at Jenna with focused eyes, but Garet was visibly confused. Jenna wouldn't do all of that, would she? Why would she want to anyway? Surely she could tell how much Isaac and Mia loved each other.

"Say something, Jenna," Garet said. "Tell me that you didn't do anything like that!"

"He...he's exaggerating," said Jenna uneasily. "I _did_ say some things to Mia, but I never intended for her to leave."

"Liar!" Sheba cried. "Take responsibility for it!"

Ivan outstretched a hand. "The only way you'll ever know the full truth is to look into Jenna's memory. Allow me to show you."

"Right." Garet took Ivan's hand and was able to peer into Jenna's memory with Mind Read. Neither Ivan nor Sheba had exaggerated at all. Jenna shrank a bit when she saw the way Garet was looking at her. She had always thought she was immune to his anger since they were so close, but now his eyes burned with the full fury of the flames he commanded.

"So the force Ivan predicted was none other than you," Garet said all too calmly. "Tell me, Jenna--at what point did it seem like a good idea to break Isaac's heart?"

"That wasn't my intention," Jenna said meekly.

"Oh really? Then why on Angara did you say such awful things to Mia? Didn't we all tell you that he loved her? Or did that just not get through that hard head of yours?"

"I...I was trying to look out for him. Isaac's always been such a good friend to me and I didn't want him with someone who wasn't worthy of his love. I'm allowed to protect him as a friend, aren't I?"

"Friends don't do what you did!" Garet roared. "Admit it, Jenna! You were just jealous of Mia!"

Jenna felt her own blood boiling in angst. "All right, so I _was_ jealous--jealous of all the time they were spending together, jealous of the way Isaac looked at her, and jealous of how she was pulling him away from me! Don't you remember the way things were back home? The three of us used to be inseparable! And it felt like I was losing Isaac's friendship because of his new infatuation with Mia. I don't know why I said all those things to her. I only know that I love Isaac too much to have him taken away from me!"

"That's not love, Jenna," said Sheba. "That's selfishness."

"Surely you couldn't have truly believed that Isaac would forget all about you just because he fell in love with Mia," Ivan added. "He's not that kind of person."

"I know, I know!" Jenna exclaimed. "I don't know what I was thinking--I just didn't want to lose him!" Her eyes watered as she began to realize the severity of her deeds. "What have I done?"

Garet, still quite enraged, blasted one of the nearby rocks, reducing it to rubble. He turned and looked right into Jenna's eyes. "I hope you're happy with what you've done. Because of you, Isaac's missing. If he's been harmed in any way, I'll never, _ever_ forgive you!"

"It wasn't supposed to be like this!" Jenna cried. "Please, you have to believe me--I didn't want it to be like this!" She broke down into sobs as she finally admitted to herself that she had been wrong to try and separate Isaac and Mia. And now Isaac, the one she'd wanted to protect and keep close, was missing. Full darkness had settled over them and only a small crescent moon illuminated the sky.

"We have to go look for him," Garet said, getting his temper under control again. "Only this time, we stick together."

"Yes," said Ivan, nodding. "I saw him going west, so let's see if we can find his trail."

So the four of them set out in search of their missing leader. Jenna lingered behind everyone, knowing that they were all still angry with her. If she had known this would happen, she wouldn't have gone anywhere near Mia. How could she have let her fear and jealousy blind her to the obvious truth? Mia herself had told her many times to look into Isaac's eyes and see how much he loved her. But Jenna hadn't looked--she hadn't wanted to accept it. _And now I may have lost him for good,_ she thought. _Even if we do find him, he may never trust me again after this, and Garet probably won't either. My best friends in the world--how could I betray them like this? Mia wasn't the unworthy one after all._

************

After a few hours, the group came to a small forest clearing where there was evidence of a struggle. Chunks of stone were scattered about and the ground was quite soggy, as if a massive gush of water had flooded through.

"Water and earth powers…" Sheba trailed. "They were both here."

"Perhaps," Ivan said a bit more skeptically. He sloshed through the mud and picked up one of the stones. "These are from Isaac's Stone Spire attack for sure, but Mia's Douse attack never creates this much water. I have a feeling that Isaac may have found a _different_ Mercury Adept instead."

"You mean Alex?" Garet asked.

Ivan nodded. "These trees are missing some of their lower branches too, as if they were hit with Psynergy." He looked to Jenna. "Did Felix tell you any of his plans?"

"Not really," Jenna replied softly. "He said that he was unsure of where the remaining Lighthouses were, and that he'd have to do some exploring to find them. But other than that, he wouldn't discuss his plans."

"I remember him saying something about the Jupiter Lighthouse being next," Sheba added. "If he and Alex are here, than we might be in Hesperia."

Garet looked concerned and agitated at the same time. "Those jerks! I hope that Isaac gave them a run for their money!"

"This day keeps getting worse," Ivan sighed. "First Mia leaves, then Isaac turns up missing, and now it looks like he may have bumped into our enemies by himself. This doesn't look good at all."

"Ivan, you don't think that he's…" Sheba trailed.

"Don't even think it!" Garet exclaimed. "Isaac's out there somewhere and we're going to find him. I don't care if an army of Fenrirs tramped through here--he's alive!"

"Of course," Ivan said with a forced grin of optimism. But he could tell that Garet was probably more worried than any of them.

Jenna peered through some of the bushes and found a steep bank with a briar patch at its bottom. She carefully took a few steps down the bank to get a closer look and noticed a piece of yellow cloth stuck in the thorns. "Hey guys, come look at this."

The others followed her voice to the spot. "Watch yourself, Jenna," said Sheba. "That bank looks slippery."

"There's something trapped in the thorns," Jenna said, inching down the bank. She got close enough to reach the stray scrap and yanked it free from the nettles.

"What is it?" Garet asked.

"It's a piece of Isaac's scarf," Jenna said quietly, clutching it tightly. "I'm sure of it."

"**_What?!_**" the others cried in surprise. They carefully followed Jenna down the bank to see for themselves. Garet snatched away the scrap to see it first hand, but he'd have recognized the yellow material anywhere.

"There are more scraps here too," Ivan said, reaching for a blue-colored piece. "This looks like it came from Mia's robe. I'll bet they fell down this embankment during a fight with Felix and Alex."

Sheba winced. "And they landed in those briars? Ouch!"

"And I'll bet that they used the opportunity to escape," said Jenna. "Do you think they're still hiding from my brother?"

"We'll keep looking," Garet said. "With any luck, they're together someplace safe and Felix is far away from here. Let's go."

With that, the Adepts cautiously traveled through the briars and continued deeper into the woods.

----------------------------------------------------

Ack! Another short one, but I hope it was at least halfway decent. I told you that Jenna might redeem herself (although she still has some apologizing to do…)! So where'd Isaac go anyway? And what about Mia and her captors? Well, these are more things that must be revealed with time, so be patient while I work on chapter 8. Later! ^_^


	8. Chapter 8

Disclaimer: Camelot made this great game, Nintendo published it, and I'm just a rabid fan that decided to write about it.

***Chapter 8***

__

A single tree interrupted the pristine grassy plain that stretched as far as Isaac's eyes could see. The midnight blue sky above had no moon tonight, only thousands of distant silver specks casting a mystical light on the world. He'd never seen such a place in any of his travels, yet he had no one to share it with. How lonely…

"Isaac…" trailed a faint, familiar voice.

He turned and saw a heavenly vision--a beautiful young woman with long blue hair and shining aqua eyes. She gave off a faint, light blue glow and had the feathered white wings of an angel.

"Mia," he said. "Is that really you?"

She nodded. "No matter how far apart we are, our hearts will always be linked and our dreams will reflect our innermost desires. You and I are one, now and forever."

Isaac embraced her, full of longing for this to be really real and not just a dream. "I don't care what it takes. I'll search to the far corners of the world until we're reunited. I promise."

"I know." She kissed him as she started to float up towards the sky. "Find me, Isaac. Find me so that this moment won't exist solely in our imaginations." And she disappeared in a swirl of feathers and blue light.

************

Isaac awoke with the early morning sun shining in his eyes, stiff from his short nap on the tree roots. He'd combed the woods all night for some sign of Mia or her captors and had come up empty handed. To make matters worse, he was now totally lost without the slightest clue of how to get back to the ship. He should've gone back for the others in the first place, but he had feared that the trail would've gone cold if he'd had. And he hadn't been ready to face Jenna anyway. His emotions might've betrayed him and then he could've said something that he'd regret in the end.

Mia...how could he have let Felix take her away like that? If only that dream had been real. Why couldn't it be real? Was she safe? Was she OK? Would he ever see her again? The uncertainty made this situation ten times worse. 

_No, stay focused_, he thought. _If I'm going to find her, I can't let my emotions run amuck. I have to concentrate._

Gathering his courage and determination, he pressed on into the forest. First, he had to find Garet and the others and tell them what happened. Tracking down Felix and Alex would be much easier with everyone's help. Somehow, he'd find Mia out in this great wide world. As long as he believed that, there was hope that his dream would become a reality.

************

"It's about time we got out of this forest," Alex said crossly. "I was beginning to think we were lost."

Felix pushed aside the last branches blocking their way. "We should be there shortly."

"Where are we going?" Mia asked quietly.

"You'll see," said Alex. "Don't fret, Mia. You're safe…for now."

Mia sighed. Alex was in a particularly foul mood today and he refused to give her a straight answer to any question, and Felix barely acknowledged her presence. Being ignored certainly didn't help ease her fears or loneliness. What were they going to do with her?

_Isaac, where are you?_ she wondered. She twisted her ring around her finger nervously. She wished she had the ability to teleport like Alex. Then she could get away from here easily. 

"Are you thinking about him again?" Alex implored, appearing beside her.

"Maybe," said Mia.

Alex smirked. "It's touching how much you care for that boy. What is it about him anyway? He's hardly worthy of a full-blooded descendant of the Mercury Clan."

"So you say. But at least Isaac would never betray me the way a member of my own clan did."

"I lit the Mercury Lighthouse for us, Mia. I'm sorry that you can't see that." He leaned in a little closer. "You and I are destined for greater things."

"Get away from me, Alex. I want nothing to do with you ever again. Not after everything you've done to both our clan and me. You disgust me."

Alex glowered. How dare she speak to him like this? To hold a grudge was one thing, but to treat him as if he were a lower life form was quite another. He crossed his arms indignantly. "Well, that's too bad for you, Mia. If you're going to be nasty to me, then I'll have to tell you some bad news."

"What are you talking about?" she asked.

"Your precious boyfriend won't be coming to rescue you anytime soon. You'd better get used to that idea."

"Isaac will come for me," Mia said with all certainty. "And you'll be sorry that you ever crossed his path."

"Unlikely," said Alex with another smirk. "You see, he's dead."

Her eyes went wide. "What?"

"I wasn't going to tell you because I thought it might be too traumatic for you," Alex continued. "But Felix and I fought your dear Isaac after you blacked out. The battle got a little out of hand for him, though. Suffice to say he couldn't withstand the full wrath of our power. We killed him, Mia. He won't be coming for you."

Mia suddenly couldn't breathe. Isaac…_dead_? The thought cut in to her like a dagger. No, it was impossible. It couldn't be true, it just couldn't!

"You're lying," she said softly.

"Believe what you want," said Alex. "You can deny it for the rest of your life for all I care, but you'll never see your precious Isaac again--and that's the truth."

He teleported to go walk beside Felix. Mia looked at her ring again, biting her lower lip to keep from thinking the worst. _He's not dead; he's not dead!_ she repeated to herself. _Alex is playing games with my mind. Isaac is alive and he'll find me--I know he will!_ She couldn't allow herself to think otherwise. She had to hold on to the hope of seeing him again.

"There it is," Felix said. Mia followed his arm to where he was pointing. A small village was a short ways in the distance.

"Finally," said Alex. "Maybe now we can get the Jupiter Star back and then move on to the Lighthouse."

"I thought that you already had the Jupiter Star," Mia said.

"We did," Felix replied. "But we ran into some unexpected trouble when we landed here in Hesperia. A few old acquaintances of ours ambushed us and took it. Originally, we were going to cooperate with them to get it back, but I've decided that would be pointless. These people can't be trusted."

"So what do you intend to do?" Mia asked.

"Alex, go on ahead to the Lighthouse," said Felix. "I'll get the Star and meet you there."

Alex nodded. "Farewell, Mia. Do have a pleasant time." He vanished in a flash of blue light. Mia had to wonder what he'd meant by a pleasant time.

"But you still won't be able to enter the Lighthouse once you get the Star," Mia said. "You'll need the help of a Jupiter Adept."

"Correct," said Felix. "But it's only a matter of time before your friends reach the Lighthouse anyway. We'll lie in wait for them to open it and then get inside. All I need is the Star, and it is within my grasp." He grabbed her wrist. "I just need the proper bait."

A chill went down Mia's spine. "Felix, what village is that?"

Felix pulled her along behind him as he headed for the town. "It is Tartarus,* the village of the Fire Clan."

************

"Where _were_ you?" Garet demanded. "You had us worried sick!"

"I'm sorry," Isaac said. "I was searching the woods and I got my directions mixed up. I guess I had too much else on my mind."

"Are you OK?" Ivan asked. "And where's Mia? We thought she would be with you."

"Well, she was," said Isaac sadly. "I found her in a clearing somewhere around here, and then Felix and Alex showed up. We tussled briefly and then they took Mia and disappeared. That's why I didn't go back to the ship right away--I was trying to find their trail."

"Those jerks!" Garet scowled. "When I get my hands on them..."

"Oh no!" Sheba exclaimed. "But did you two at least get a chance to make up?"

"Yeah. I found out what was wrong and she agreed to come back."

"_We_ found out what was wrong too," said Garet, glaring back at Jenna.

"Isaac," Jenna began. "I'm so sorry for everything. I didn't mean for it to turn out this way."

Isaac couldn't even bring himself to look at her. He was still too upset and too angry about what she'd done. Her deeds wouldn't have mattered as much if Mia were safe, but now that she was missing, he couldn't dismiss them. He shook his head. "Why, Jenna? What did I do to make you want to hurt me this way?"

"I wasn't trying to hurt you, Isaac. I...I thought that Mia was stealing you away from me and I got caught up in my fear and jealousy." She bowed her head. "If I'd known that this would happen, I never would've gone near her, I swear! I'd take it all back if I could!"

"Well, you can't," Isaac said flatly. "What's done is done and that can't be changed. But I hope you realize that I can't forgive you for this."

Jenna looked visibly wounded. "Isaac, I..."

"You know what's really ironic?" he asked, cutting her off. "Mia was trying to ensure that she didn't come between _us_. Even after I found out what you did, she refused to come back unless I promised to go easy on you!" He sighed. "I'm so mad at you, Jenna, that I don't even know what to do. But I made a promise to Mia, so this is all I have for you." He leaned in close and whispered something in her ear. Jenna immediately started to cry, which made the others wonder what he'd said.

"We'll find her, Isaac," Ivan said in his most optimistic voice.

Sheba nodded in agreement. "She's out there somewhere, and we won't stop searching until she's back safe and sound."

"And I'll personally make mincemeat out of those guys," Garet added. "So cheer up, OK? We'll have Mia back by your side before you know it. You have my word."

Isaac couldn't help but smile. It was so good to be back with them, even if Mia was still unaccounted for. There was something so reassuring about their presence.

"Thanks, guys. I knew I could count on you. Now let's get going. The sooner we start looking, the sooner we'll find Mia."

--------------------------------------------------------------

*In case you didn't know, in Greek mythology, Tartarus is the name for the lowest point in the underworld where the wickedest of souls are banished (so much for subtle foreboding…). That's all for Chapter 8. Stay tuned for #9!


	9. Chapter 9

I can't write battle scenes to save my life, so I apologize for the anti-climatic encounter at the Jupiter Lighthouse. It really sucks! As of this writing, my party in the game is at level 47 (!), so I based Ivan, Garet and Isaac's attacks on that.

Disclaimer: Just your average fan writing a fan fiction, that's all. Camelot owns all the characters and all the copyrights. Hooray for them!

***Chapter 9***

The following day, the Adepts stood before the mighty, towering structure of the Jupiter Lighthouse. It radiated an intense energy, and it crackled slightly with charged electricity. A placard by the door caught Ivan's attention while the others gawked at the building.

"'This gate shall yield only to the one with the blood of Jupiter who bears the Rod of the Ancients,'" he read aloud. He fumed. "We need the Shaman's Rod! I forgot that I gave it to Saturos back at the Venus Lighthouse!"

Sheba giggled playfully and reached into her pack. "You mean _this_ Shaman's Rod?" she asked, pulling it out.

"How'd you get that?" Garet questioned.

"Felix told me to hang onto it," Sheba replied. She smiled at Ivan. "It was very sweet of you to give it up to save me, Ivan. I know how important it is to you."

"Don't mention it," Ivan said, blushing slightly. He stepped up to the door and tapped it with the end of the rod. A powerful gust of wind whistled by as the door to the Lighthouse slowly slid open.

"Nicely done, Ivan," said Isaac. "Now let's hurry."

A short distance away, Felix and Alex watched their adversaries disappear into the Lighthouse. Once the coast was clear, the two of them entered the tower as well and rushed to beat everyone else to the Aerie.

"Isaac?" Jenna asked timidly as they ascended the tower. "You're not going to fight my brother, are you?"

Sometimes it was easy to forget that Jenna was Felix's sister. "I don't want to, Jenna," Isaac said honestly. "But I have to stop him no matter what. You understand, right?"

Jenna nodded. "I know. But I hope you realize that I can't fight him."

"Me either," Sheba added. "I understand that Felix is your enemy, but he also saved my life. I can't take sides in this battle."

The boys nodded. "That's OK, Sheba," said Ivan. "We wouldn't want either of you to fight him if you don't want to."

"What about Alex?" Garet asked.

"He's fair game," both of the girls said together.

Despite the usual pratfalls and monster attacks typical of all the Lighthouses, they got to the Aerie in record time. The flame wasn't lit just yet, but Felix and Alex were standing right next to the pit. Felix was holding the Mythril bag with the Jupiter Star, and they only seemed to be waiting for their pursuers.

"You're late," Alex teased.

"How the heck did you get here before us?" Garet demanded. "Ivan opened the door!"

"What can I say--we're just faster than you are," said Alex. "Now you can watch as we light the Jupiter flame."

"Not so fast," Isaac said. "What have you done with Mia? I thought you were going to bring her with you."

"Well, we ran into a bit of trouble," said Felix. "The Jupiter Star was stolen from us and we had to get it back. Your friend turned out to be the perfect thing to trade for it."

"You gave Mia away like a piece of property?" Ivan cried. "How could you be so heartless?"

"I didn't have much choice," Felix said. "I wasn't dealing with ordinary thieves--they knew how valuable the Star was. I had to offer them something of similar worth and Mercury Adepts are a rare commodity."

"And you couldn't trade Alex instead?" Jenna asked. "Felix, what's _wrong_ with you?"

"I resent that, Jenna," said Alex indignantly. "You treat me like this after all the help I've been to you and your dear brother?"

"We never asked for your help!" Jenna growled.

Isaac drew the Gaia Blade. "Where is she?" he demanded.

"You'd be wise to forget about her," said Alex. "She's as good as dead by now anyway."

"Sad but true," Felix added. "My apologies, Isaac. I was going to trade her to you for the Mars Star, but fate had other plans, I guess."

Rage overtook Isaac's better judgment. He lunged for Felix sword first, desiring reparation for what he'd done to Mia. Felix quickly countered and the sound of clashing metal echoed across the Aerie. Not wanting to be left out, Garet set his sights on Alex, but the crafty Mercury Adept was a step ahead of him. A tidal wave washed over the Aerie, blasting Garet, Jenna, Ivan and Sheba to the other side. Alex snickered.

"You aren't even a challenge."

"You were always too cocky," Sheba said, rising. She lifted her staff and cast Spark Plasma, sending a barrage of purple bolts in Alex's direction. Ivan looked at her in surprise.

"Where'd you learn to do _that_?"

"You mean you don't know that attack Ivan?" she asked. "I'll have to teach it to you sometime--it's very useful."

Slightly embarrassed, Ivan cast Tempest to show off his own power. Jenna and Garet cast Dragon Fire and Inferno respectively, though they knew that such attacks wouldn't pose much of a threat to a water master such as Alex.

An icy mist settled around them, quelling the flames and winds. "I hope those weren't your best shots," said Alex. "You can't beat me like that. And two fire Adepts aren't even worth my time, so why don't you just give up?"

"Hey, I don't need Psynergy to beat you," Garet declared, brandishing his sword. "Are you afraid to fight us fairly?"

"We've got you outnumbered," Jenna added, standing next to Garet. 

"Why, Jenna, aren't you worried about your brother?" Alex said mockingly. "He seems to be in a bit of a fix."

The others looked over to the far side of the Aerie. Sure enough, Isaac had pinned Felix underneath him and had the Gaia Blade pointed at his throat.

"Go ahead and do it," said Felix. "Do it if you've got the guts."

"Where's Mia?" Isaac asked in a low, steady voice. "Who did you give her to?"

Felix laughed slightly. "You haven't changed at all--still letting your heart do all the talking. How did you ever manage to destroy Saturos with that tender soul of yours, anyway?"

Isaac pressed his sword a little further, growing steadily more impatient and angry. "For the last time--what did you do with Mia?"

"She's in Tartarus," Felix said. "It's a village not far from here, but good luck getting her out of there. That is, assuming she's still alive." He smirked a bit. "Now that you know, you'll never get a better chance to kill me. So just get it over with."

Even with the tip of his blade in the prime position to put an end to his quest, Isaac hesitated. Despite everything Felix had already done and his insistence of lighting the remaining Lighthouses, he was still an old friend from the past. And however angry he was with Jenna, Felix was still her only family. What right did Isaac have to kill him?

Felix sensed the apprehension behind the sword. He seized the opportunity and flipped Isaac over his head. "You _are_ too soft for this sort of thing, Isaac," he said as he stood up. He took out the Jupiter Star again and hurled it towards the pit.

"**NO**!" the others cried. But it was too late--the Star fell into the Lighthouse and a beam of purple light shot up from the pit.

"Too bad for you," Felix said. "I'll find a way to get the Mars Star from you the next time we meet."

"Fat chance of that!" Garet barked. "This isn't over!"

"We look forward to it then," said Alex, going to Felix. "Until we meet again, _adieu_." And they both disappeared in a flash of blue light.

"Shoot!" Garet fumed. "We couldn't even stop them from lighting the flame!"

"Um, I hate to interrupt you, Garet," Ivan began. "But if what happened at the Venus Lighthouse is any indication, we should get out of here before the flame fully ignites."

Since the tower started to shake at that moment, the others heeded his suggestion and they made a swift retreat. From a safe distance below, they watched as the purple light of Jupiter shone across the sky. It _was_ quite beautiful, but a pall of despair settled upon the group as they realized that they'd failed once again.

"Well, at least we know they can't light the Mars Lighthouse just yet," said Sheba. "That's some comfort."

"I blew it," Isaac said softly. "I could've taken the Jupiter Star right then and there, but I let my feelings get the best of me. I'm such an idiot."

"No, Isaac," said Jenna. "Thank you for sparing Felix. I know you're still mad at me for what I did to Mia, but I also know that you didn't kill him because of me. I'm truly grateful."

"Felix is the real idiot," Garet sighed, frustrated. "He didn't even tell us what he did with Mia."

"To trade her away like a used possession…" Ivan trailed. "That's simply despicable."

"It's all right," said Isaac. "I _did_ manage to pry that much out of Felix. She's in some nearby town called 'Tartarus.'"

Jenna and Sheba both gasped.

"What kind of place has a name like that?" Garet wondered.

"Felix, you didn't…" Jenna whispered.

"Poor Mia!" Sheba exclaimed. "No wonder Alex told us she was as good as dead!"

"You know about Tartarus?" Ivan asked.

Sheba nodded. "Saturos and Menardi mentioned it a few times in passing. They came from Tartarus. It is the village of their Fire Clan."

There was a stunned pause. "This is some crazy joke, right?" Garet asked in disbelief. "You're just pulling my leg, aren't you, Sheba?"

"I wish I were," she replied.

"Maybe the other members of the Fire Clan aren't like Saturos?" Ivan suggested, grasping for some sort of hope.

Jenna shook her head. "Felix told me about that place once. He said that the members of the Fire Clan were the most powerful and ruthless people he'd ever met, just like Saturos and Menardi. He said that he wouldn't put anything past them, no matter how twisted or cruel. And Mia's a Mercury Adept too--their least favorite kind of person!"

Isaac paced a ways away, lost in daze. His chest felt tight and he couldn't catch his breath. How could anyone do something as awful as sending Mia into the clutches of Saturos's clan? What would those monsters do to her? And how would he save her from such a dreadful place? His heart ached with longing and fear as he sunk to his knees. If he had missed her before, then now his entire soul was wracked with pain as if a chunk of it had been ripped out. This wasn't right! Mia didn't deserve such an awful fate. If either of them had to be taken, it should've been him for failing to protect her in the first place. It couldn't end this way! He had to see her again, to hold her again, even if only for one short, fleeting moment.

"Do you know where Tartarus is?" he asked, swallowing his inner terror.

"Not exactly," Sheba said. "But if Felix said it's not far, than we should be able to find it without too much trouble."

"But how are we going to get Mia out of there even if we do find it?" Jenna asked.

"We'll worry about that later," said Isaac. "First, we have to find Tartarus. We'll come up with a plan after that." _Mia,_ he thought. _I'm not going to give up on you. I'll move heaven and earth itself to get you back._

************

Mia hugged her knees tighter to her chest for warmth. Her dank prison cell was cold even for someone raised in the arctic wilderness. Of course, it didn't help that her jailers had taken away her warm cape and robes, leaving her with only the thin slip she wore underneath them. They'd taken everything she had that looked remotely valuable, including the silver clip she wore in her hair and her precious ring. She didn't have much feeling left in her fingers, but they felt even colder without that reminder of happiness and safety.

She'd been here for only two days and she was already starving, filthy and completely exhausted. The Fire Clan had gladly traded the Jupiter Star for her when they realized that she was a Mercury Adept. They'd had her heal all the ailments in the village, which had ranged from splinters to pneumonia. She hadn't had enough power to do all of it, and when she'd begged for a rest, they refused to give her one. Quite the opposite--they'd poked her with their weapons to force her to keep going. They didn't care about how draining it was to cast various healing Psynergies hundreds of times without a break. When she'd finally finished, she'd barely had the strength to breathe.

After that, they'd tossed her into this cell. It was barely large enough for her to lie down and consisted of nothing more than four stone walls, a heavy iron door, and a cold dirt floor. The only light came from the tiny crack underneath the door, and even then it wasn't very bright because the corridor beyond wasn't lit. The whole place reeked of human remains and death, but she never heard another soul except for the occasional clompings of the prison guards. Just once, a slot in the door had slid aside and someone had tossed her a lump of rock-hard bread--hardly enough to help her recover her strength. But then, she hadn't expected that the Fire Clan would treat her very well in the first place. The moment Felix had mentioned them she'd known she was in dire trouble, and now she knew exactly where she stood here. They would use her powers to suit their needs until she slowly wasted away to nothing.

Too bad one couldn't take on an entire village single-handedly. She shut her eyes and tried to imagine herself someplace else. Anywhere was better than this dark and lonely prison. She wanted to be back on the ship. She wanted a full meal, a hot bath and a day's sleep in her soft bed. 

But more than any of those things, she wanted Isaac.

Now all alone in the cold and dark of this solitary cell, she missed him so much that her entire being hurt. The sheer emptiness of this prison swallowed her up and made it all too easy to fall into the trap of fear and despair that threatened to drain away what remained of her will. How would he ever find her here? He didn't even know where she was. And even if he did find this place, how could he get her out when this was the home of the _Fire Clan_?

And then there were the things Alex had told her. What if Isaac really was dead? This awful, horrible thought felt like a knife twisting in her heart. If that were true, then she had no hope of rescue at all. But what would her freedom be worth without Isaac to share it with? To never see his eyes, hear his voice, or feel his strong arms around her again would be a worse fate than the one the Fire Clan had planned for her. A life without him wouldn't be worth living.

_Isaac, where are you?_ Mia kept wondering over and over. She felt for her ring, but it wasn't there to remind her of his vow. That promise seemed like the stuff of dreams, something too beautiful to exist in this lonely darkness. _Please let him be OK,_ she thought. _I can find a way to survive in this place, but only if there's a chance I can see him again--even if it's only for a single, fleeting moment._

----------------------------------------------------------

Impossible odds, fear, longing, despair, heartache--did I leave anything out? Well, if I did, remind me to include it in Chapter 10!


	10. Chapter 10

Disclaimer: Sheesh, this makes the tenth time I've written one of these things and I'm running out of witty ways to say it! I don't own Golden Sun (it's not witty, but it gets the job done).

***Chapter 10***

"So that's Tartarus, eh?" Garet implored, looking at the village in the distance. "It looks kind of unassuming doesn't it?"

"I must admit that I thought it would be more intimidating," said Ivan. "It looks like an ordinary village from here."

"Except for this," Sheba said, pointing to a large sign next to the road. "This doesn't bode well."

TARTARUS--DOMAIN OF THE NORTH FIRE CLAN. OUTSIDERS BEWARE: ENTER AT YOUR OWN RISK.

"Swell," said Jenna after reading the sign.

"What's the plan, Isaac?" Garet asked.

"Well, we can't just stroll in, that's for sure," Isaac replied. He looked at the village, thinking of Mia and wondering where she was in there. "A group of five is too intimidating, especially if any of us start asking questions about a Mercury Adept. I think it would be best if one of us went in, located Mia, and then came back to fill in everyone else."

The others nodded in agreement. "So who gets the honors?" Garet asked. "Can I do it? I love espionage!"

"You couldn't be stealthy if your life depended on it!" Jenna exclaimed. "You'd trip and fall down or shoot your mouth off at something!"

"And I suppose that _you_ could keep a low profile with that hot temper of yours, huh?" Garet huffed indignantly.

"Hot temper?" Jenna demanded. "You're one to talk, mister I'll curse at the ocean in the middle of a hurricane!"

"Quiet, both of you," Isaac said firmly. "Neither of you are going in there. Garet, you're too slow and Jenna, you're way too impatient."

"_Slow_?!" Garet fumed.

"_Impatient_?!" Jenna added.

"Hey, the truth hurts," said Isaac with a slight laugh. Ivan and Sheba giggled as the two fire Adepts glowered at one another and at their leader.

"All right, then who gets to go?" Garet questioned.

"Our spy has to be fast just in case something goes wrong and a quick escape is necessary," said Isaac. "And the ability to read minds wouldn't hurt either." He looked to Ivan and Sheba.

"Us?" they asked together.

"You two are the fastest," Isaac said. "And since you can both read minds, you wouldn't even have to ask questions to find Mia--you could just read everyone for clues."

Sheba visibly cringed. Looking at that place was frightening enough. There was no way she could go inside the village walls all by herself, even if was to help Mia. Ivan could feel her fear and understood. It was different for her since she had actually experienced Saturos and Menardi first hand.

"I'll do it," said Ivan. Sheba inwardly sighed in relief.

"Thank you, Ivan," said Isaac. "Please, be careful, and get out of there at the first sign of trouble."

Ivan nodded and handed his staff to Sheba, since carrying a weapon might not be wise. Taking a deep breath to gather courage, he turned and headed for Tartarus.

************

On the surface, Tartarus appeared to be an ordinary village. While each citizen had the distinct dragon scales and pointed ears characteristic of the Fire Clan, they all milled about the streets the same way people did in every village Ivan had seen. He made careful mental notes of the layout of the buildings, but everything seemed quite ordinary. As he tried to blend in with the crowds, he scanned the minds of each villager that he passed. Practically everything on their minds was regular, mundane activities such as the day's chores or what had to be purchased at the market. _Peculiar,_ Ivan thought. _This is all so normal, yet this is the place that spawned cold-hearted individuals like Saturos and Menardi. If everyone here is that nasty, I'm not seeing much evidence of it._

A little boy and his mother caught his attention in the marketplace.

"But why do I have to eat yucky vegetables to get strong?" the boy whined. "If I get sick, can't the water lady just heal me?"

"The water lady won't always be here," his mother snapped. "Now come on!"

_'Water lady?'_ Ivan wondered. _Mia! Who else could it be?_ Now he was getting somewhere! He continued through the streets, checking random memories as he went for more evidence. Someone had to know where Mia was. Oddly, the people thinking about her seemed to be singing her praises for healing their ailments. Why would the Fire Clan be praising a Mercury Adept? Wouldn't they rather condemn her watery powers?

"I haven't felt this good in years!" he heard one old man declare. "That healer's powers sure did the trick."

"Maybe we should keep her around," his friend suggested sarcastically. Both of them laughed.

"That'll be the day!" said the first man. "A Mercury Adept living in Tartarus? It'll never happen!"

"Good riddance to all of their cursed race," said the second man. "Even their healing powers aren't reason enough to let any of them live."

_So that's it,_ Ivan thought, thoroughly disgusted. _Once Mia healed everyone in the village, she became disposable!_ Something sank within him. What if they'd already killed her?

"Of course," the first man said. "I hope those guards at the prison let that wench suffer like she deserves. It'll be one less of their kind to worry about."

Ivan flared with hope. He quickly ducked in and out of the crowds, desperately searching for that prison. He found a dilapidated old building nestled away in the back streets of town. This had to be it--it didn't have any windows and two very strong-looking men were standing by the door. What else could this be but a prison? 

Cautiously, he crept closer to the structure, avoiding the sight of the guards. How could he get inside without them noticing? Needing some kind of distraction, he picked up a rock and tossed it into some bushes in the other direction. One of the guards snapped to attention and went to investigate the source of the noise, while the other watched him from his post. Quick as a flash, Ivan ran for the door and got inside the building unseen.

_Whew! _ he said to himself. _That was close!_ He took a moment to catch his breath and then set about finding Mia. He silently proceeded down the main corridor looking for some sign of life. All of the cell doors were open, revealing empty spaces. It appeared that no one had been incarcerated here for quite some time, although the foul stench of death still hung in the air. Even with full daylight coming from the door, the place was quite gloomy and he felt a distinct chill in the air. Part of him wished that he wouldn't find anything here. He didn't even want to imagine Mia being trapped in such an awful place.

Something suddenly tingled the back of his mind. It was the presence of another life form. He followed the sensation to the very last cell in the prison, where the heavy iron door was tightly shut. He cast Mind Read to get a closer look and was immediately hit with a bullet of sorrow and loneliness, an anguish so immense and painful that he fell to his knees in front of the door. There was no doubt now--it had to be her.

"Mia?" he whispered. "Is that you in there?"

He heard something stir on the other side of the door. "Who's there?" a weak and timid voice asked.

"Mia, it's me--Ivan."

"_Ivan_?!" she gasped in complete disbelief. She crawled to the door. "Is that really you?"

"Yes!" Ivan whispered, trying to control his excitement. She was alive! She was really and truly alive!

Mia tried to hold back her tears of joy. "I don't believe it!" She coughed a few times. "Oh, Ivan, thank Mercury it's you! I didn't think anyone would ever find me!"

"I know, I know!" He lowered his voice before the guards overheard them. "Are you all right?"

She drew in her sniffles and coughed again. "As well as can be expected. Please, Ivan, you have to get me out of here! I'm scared!"

"Stay calm," Ivan said. "It'll be OK, Mia. The others are waiting for me outside of the village. Now that I know exactly where you are, we can formulate a plan to free you. We'll get you out of there, I promise."

"Thank you," said Mia. "Tell me, is Isaac OK? I miss him so much!"

"He misses you too. He's been so worried! He'll be relieved just to know you're all right!"

Mia felt a surge of pure joy rush through her. He was alive and only a short distance away! They'd be together again soon! It felt like a dream. She broke down into happy sobs, but that raspy cough kept interrupting her. Ivan didn't like the sound of it at all.

"What have they done to you?" he asked. "You sound terrible."

"I'm all right," she said. "It's just from the cold and dampness of this cell, that's all." She cleared her throat to make her voice a little stronger. "Go on, Ivan. The sooner you leave, the sooner I can get out of here."

"Right," Ivan said, rising. "Don't worry, Mia. You'll be free before you know it."

"I can't thank you enough. I'm so happy you found me! I feared that I'd never see any of you ever again." She heard him start to leave. "Ivan?"

"Yes?"

"C-can you tell Isaac something for me?"

"Of course. What is it?"

She couldn't find the right words. How do you explain what it was like to miss someone so much that it felt like your very life essence had been sucked away? "Just tell him that I never lost faith in him, and that I love him. That's all."

Ivan smiled. "All right. I'll make sure he gets the message. And I swear that you'll see him yourself very, very soon."

Mia listened to him sneak away and then huddled back up in the corner of her cell where it was slightly warmer. Her whole body felt numb from the cold, but at least now she had a real hope to hang onto. She smiled as she thought of being reunited with Isaac. All she had to do was hang on until then.

Using the same technique that got him inside, Ivan exited the prison and swiftly left Tartarus to rejoin his friends. Though Mia had tried to hide it, he'd been able to sense that something was dreadfully wrong with her, and he knew that this rescue mission couldn't be delayed much longer.

************

"The prison is located here," Ivan said, adding to the diagram he was sketching in the dirt. "It had two guards by the door, and there aren't any windows or other entrances. Mia's cell is in the very back of the building."

The others studied his map of Tartarus. "How are we going to get her out of there without starting some sort of war?" Sheba asked. "As strong as we are, there's no way we can take on everyone in that village."

"Sneaking past the guards wasn't difficult," said Ivan. "But I was really careful to keep quiet so that they wouldn't hear me when I was in there."

"And breaking down doors can't be done quietly," Garet said. "I know--I've tried."

"It's too bad that we had to use that Cloak Ball of yours to camouflage the ship," said Jenna. "That would make this task much easier."

"We could still go back and get it," Garet suggested. "And one of us could stay behind to guard the ship instead."

"That would take too long," Ivan said. "The ship's almost a day's journey from here, and we don't have the luxury of delaying this mission for that long."

"How so?" Garet asked. "Mia would understand if we made her wait a little longer."

Ivan shook his head. "It's not that."

"Then what is it?" Sheba questioned. "I thought you said she was all right."

"I said she was _alive_ and _coherent_," Ivan corrected. He didn't really want to say what had him so concerned if he could avoid it.

"What's wrong, Ivan?" Isaac asked. "There's more to this than you're saying."

Ivan sighed. "Well, maybe I'm just overreacting, but I don't think Mia's in very good health or spirits. They made her heal everyone in the village, and I have a feeling that her jailers didn't give her the adequate means to recover her strength. She tried to hide it, but she has a nasty sounding cough, and she probably lacks the power to cure it. We shouldn't delay in getting her out of there any longer than we have to."

"Can this get any worse?" Sheba implored.

Isaac thought a moment, trying to goad the strategic portion of his mind into action. He emptied out his pockets to see exactly what items he had--the Black Orb from the ship, the Mars Star, the Cleric's Ring, two Antidote plants, the Carry Stone, and a Psy Crystal. Was this really it? Jeez, he was usually prepared for anything!

"Empty your pockets, everyone," he said. "Let's see what we have to work with."

A small collection of items piled up on the ground as everyone sifted through their belongings. "Two Smoke Bombs, the Orb of Force, the Halt Gem, a Weasel's Claw, a Sacred Feather and a Sleep Ring," said Ivan.

"A War Ring, the Lifting Gem and Catch Beads, three Sleep Bombs, and two Oil Drops," Garet said.

"Five Herbs, two Elixirs, and a Bramble Seed," said Jenna.

"Two Crystal Powders, an Elixir, a Unicorn Ring, and an Herb," said Sheba. "This isn't much of a collection."

"How come you guys don't have any healing items?" Jenna asked.

"Because Mia always carried those things," Ivan replied. "She was the expert, so we left her in charge of them."

"Seemed like a good idea at the time," Garet added. "Now what?"

Isaac studied their belongings. The Psynergy items were useless in this situation, as were the rings and the scant healing items. But the attack items, particularly the Crystal Powder, might be useful, and Smoke and Sleep Bombs were good delay tactics--assuming they worked. Throw in the Psy Crystal for a safety net, and he just might pull this off. He collected those items and stuffed them into his pockets.

"Does our leader have an idea now?" Sheba asked.

"Yes, I do, and it's going to require complete cooperation from the four of you."

"We're all ears," said Ivan.

"All right, then," Isaac said. He handed the Black Orb and the Mars Star to Garet. "Take these and go back to the ship--all of you. Mia and I will meet you there."

"**_What_**?!" the others cried.

"No way!" said Garet. "You're _not_ going to attempt this crazy mission by yourself! It's suicide!"

"We're not letting you do this alone," Ivan added. "We're a team and we have to stick together."

"I had a feeling that you'd say that," said Isaac. "But you have to trust me. This is for the best. There's no sense in all of us risking our lives when we still have a quest to pursue. This way, if I don't make it back, you guys will be around to stop Felix."

"But why does it have to be you?" Jenna asked. "Let me do it, since I caused this whole mess in the first place."

Isaac shook his head. "No. This is something I have to do." He looked over at Tartarus. "I'll go as soon as it gets dark. You guys head back to the ship and wait. If I'm not back by sunset tomorrow, go without me."

Garet, stubborn as ever, fumed. "Forget it. I'm not leaving you here to do this alone. If something goes wrong, those creeps with burn you to a crisp!"

"Please, Garet, don't make me argue with you," Isaac said. He smiled. "Don't worry about me. I'm pretty tough in my own right, you know."

"That's not what I'm saying," said Garet. "It's just that…well…" For once, he didn't have anything to say, but Isaac understood none the less. In spite of all his faults, Garet was a true loyal friend in every way.

"I understand," said Isaac.

"Then why do you insist on doing this?" Garet asked.

"Because I want to be with Mia," Isaac replied quietly. "If I go alone, I won't have to worry about Felix and the Lighthouses and I can focus on rescuing her. And no matter how this mission goes, I know that I'll be with her. That's all."

His friends sighed. They couldn't argue with that. Garet laughed slightly. "You're hopeless, you know that?"

Isaac nodded, smiling. "I'm proud of it too. Perhaps one day, the rest of you will be as hopeless. Now go on! I'll do my best to come back to you--with Mia."

Reluctantly, Garet, Ivan, Jenna and Sheba turned and headed back through the woods to the ship. Jenna paused to take one last look at Isaac, but he was gazing out at Tartarus and didn't see her. One way or the other, it would all be over after tonight.

----------------------------------------------------

*I can't stand the suspense!* Next chapter: the rescue!


	11. Chapter 11

I'm SOOOOOOO sorry for making you people wait so long for this chapter! This is the climax of the story and it took forever to write (I'm still not completely satisfied with it). I hope that it's worth the wait! Special thanks to XZO for his story suggestion--it inspired part of this chapter.

Disclaimer: For the 11th time, I don't own Golden Sun (cripes, this is getting old). This chapter is also a little violent, but I'm pretty sure that it's still PG safe.

***Chapter 11***

Once the skies were dark and all the lights in the village had faded, Isaac cautiously entered Tartarus. He stuck to the shadows as best he could, since the streets were being patrolled by several guards. Remembering Ivan's directions, he found the prison house. It certainly didn't look inviting, and two guards were pacing in front of the lone entrance. He studied them a moment, and spotted a set of keys on one of their belts. _Bingo!_ he thought. _Now I won't have to break any doors._ He reached for a pair of Sleep Bombs and tossed them towards the guards. A thin veil of smoke settled around them then quickly cleared away.

"What was that?" the first guard asked.

"I don't know," said the second guard. He yawned. "Probably just the wind or something…" Now both of them yawned. They slowly sank to the ground and Isaac could hear them snoring. So far, so good.

He sneaked over to the sleeping guards and took the set of keys, then headed into the building. It was even worse than he'd pictured from Ivan's story, and considerably colder than it was outside. If this weren't a village of powerful Adepts, he'd lay siege to the whole place for imprisoning Mia in such a horrid abode. But since that would be foolhardy, he would gladly settle for just getting her back. He found the single locked door and started trying the various keys.

"I'm here for you, Mia," he whispered.

She'd know his voice anywhere, but thought that she must be dreaming. That is, until she heard the jingling on the other side of the door. "Isaac!?" she exclaimed in quiet disbelief. The lock clicked and the door creaked open. Instantly, Isaac rushed in and they held onto each other like they'd never let go, feeling as if time had suddenly screeched to a halt. Neither of them said a word, but it didn't matter, as the embrace and the kiss that accompanied it said it all.

When time finally started again, they both relaxed their grips a little and looked at each other, their eyes shimmering with happy tears. Though Mia's broad smile looked the same as always, she was clearly ghostly pale, even in the poor light. Her eyes seemed a little duller too, but they still shone brightly with love and kindness. Isaac returned her smile. How could he not? They were together again, and that was all he'd wanted.

Mia squeezed him again and rested her head on his shoulder. "This is exactly the way I imagined our reunion. Oh, Isaac, I've missed you so much!"

"I know. The thought of this moment is all that kept me going. I'm so sorry, Mia! I should've found a way to prevent this from happening to you."

"Don't blame yourself," she said. "You found me, and we're together now and that's all that matters." She coughed quite heavily, which made Isaac feel even guiltier not to mention concerned.

"Ivan was right--that is a nasty cough. I ought to rip those guys apart for doing this to you!"

"No, I'm OK, really. I just need a chance to recover someplace more…_homey_."

"Right." He kissed her again and cast Potent Cure. A warm, golden glow passed from him to her. "I know it's not much, but I hope it helps."

"I feel better already," she said happily, and she really _did_ feel slightly strengthened. "Now let's get out of here."

Together, they went back to the door, but Isaac could now here voices outside. Quickly, they both ducked into the shadows to stay out of sight. A very unhappy superior had discovered the two snoozing guards.

"You idiots! How dare you fall asleep on guard duty!"

"It's all right, Captain," said the first guard. "It's not like the prisoner can go anywhere."

"Who could get past the street guards anyway?" the second added. 

The Captain glowered. "Go check and make sure she's still locked in her cell while I figure out what your punishment shall be."

"Isaac!" Mia whispered. "They're coming this way!"

Isaac drew his sword. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." He looked to Mia. "Stick close to me. I'll get us out of here somehow."

She nodded nervously. Those guards were strong. Even someone as powerful as Isaac wouldn't be able to handle all of them on his own. And she didn't have much power to help him thanks to her stint in prison. He knew this of course, and shoved all thoughts of vengeance aside. Getting Mia out of here took top priority.

With the Gaia Blade at the ready, Isaac's heart raced as the two guards approached. There was no way around it--he would have to kill them to eliminate their threat. The longer he could postpone revealing himself the better. As soon as the two guards stepped through the doorway, he thrust his sword forward and stabbed both of them. They crumpled to the floor with barely a noise and a pool of blood began to collect around their bodies. Isaac ripped off one of their capes and placed it around Mia's shoulders, since he'd noticed that she was shivering. She thanked him silently and gripped his left hand.

Outside, the Captain tapped his foot impatiently. He was a tall and imposing figure, bearing a stunning resemblance to Saturos. The only big difference was that the Captain looked older and had longer hair. But his skin was the same shade of indigo and his eyes the same dark red as Isaac's deceased adversary. He wouldn't be as easy to get past as his lackeys.

"You two are so incompetent!" he scowled. He marched towards the door. "I'll have you two drenched in water for this!"

"Here he comes," Isaac whispered. He reached for a Smoke Bomb. "Get ready."

The Captain, still scowling audibly, reached the doorway and received a nasty blast of black smoke in his face. With Mia in tow, Isaac dashed past him and made a b-line for the village gates.

"STOP THEM!" the Captain sputtered at the top of his lungs.

The exit was in sight. But upon hearing their leader's command, all of the guards in the streets had gathered by the gates. It was difficult to tell how many there were in all--somewhere between thirty and forty and all them appeared quite strong. Isaac sized them up as he slowly backed away from them, keeping Mia shielded with his body. This was bad.

"Hey, it's just a kid," one of them said. "How'd he manage to steal our Mercury Adept?"

"Now what?" Mia whispered, her voice trembling in fear.

"Don't worry," Isaac whispered back with all the confidence he could muster. "I still have a few tricks up my sleeve." He reached for some Crystal Powder.

The Captain appeared from the back streets, now free of the choking smoke. "You've made a grave error, boy," he said. "No one messes with the Fire Clan of the North!"

"Well, you shouldn't have messed the woman I love," Isaac retorted. He threw the Crystal Powder and it turned into shards of ice that rained down on most of the Fire Clan. Isaac and Mia quickly retreated back into the allies and out of sight.

"You little rat!" the Captain shouted. "Fan out and find them! They must not escape!"

"Yes sir!" the guards replied.

From their hiding place behind a cluster of barrels, Mia and Isaac heard the many footsteps fade away and quietly sighed in relief. They were safe for the moment and now the guards had split up. Taking on all of them at once would've been a death sentence, but now Isaac could deal with each one individually as he worked his way towards the gates. He held Mia tightly to help keep her warm and cast Potent Cure again.

"Save your Psynergy," she whispered. "You might need it."

"I have a Psy Crystal with me," he whispered back, kissing her forehead to reassure her. "It'll be OK, I promise."

Even though she trusted him more than anyone, she was still full of fear. They were severely outnumbered and his bag of tricks would run out eventually. He was frightened too, but he was doing his best to swallow it and put on his bravest face. He had to get her out of here no matter what the cost.

One of the guards stepped into the alley. He peered over the barrels and spotted them, but before he could give a shout to his comrades, Isaac slit his throat. The two of them carefully crept around the buildings, inching closer to the gates. They ducked behind a set of crates to wait for another opportunity to move. A pair of guards walked by the crates but didn't stop to investigate. Just as they breathed a sigh of relief, another single guard sneaked up behind them and grabbed Mia by her wrist.

"Let me go!" she cried, struggling with all her might.

"Here they are, Captain!" the guard called.

Swiftly, Isaac took the Gaia Blade and sliced off the arm gripping Mia. The guard gave a yowl of pain and surprise and couldn't stop the pair as they disappeared again. The Captain arrived a moment later.

"Well, where _are_ they?" he demanded.

The injured guard gripped what remained of his arm. "That's no ordinary kid, Captain," he managed to say. "He knows what he's doing."

"That was a little _too_ close," Isaac panted. Mia nodded in agreement, trying hard to suppress her coughs so that they wouldn't be heard. They hadn't found any new cover and were just standing in the shadows. Isaac could see the town gates not far away. The coast appeared to be clear--they had to chance it. He grabbed Mia's hand and bolted for the exit, but the strain of running and hiding had worn hard on her and she stumbled. That was when the guards found them.

"I'm sorry, Isaac," Mia said through her coughs.

Isaac stood over her, brandishing his sword. The remaining guards formed a circle around them, closing them in and negating any hope of escape. The Captain approached them, smirking.

"Your luck has run out, boy. Now you will pay for embarrassing the Fire Clan of the North." He unsheathed his own sword. "You're mine!"

He lunged forward, clashing his sword against the Gaia Blade and slowly pushing Isaac backwards. The rest of the guards charged in with their weapons. With his back up against the proverbial wall, Isaac wasn't going to give up without a fight. His sword glowed gold and unleashed its mighty Titan Blade attack, knocking the Captain away. Immediately, Isaac hurled the last of his attack items at the incoming soldiers. While the Crystal Powder, Weasel's Claw, Bramble Seed and Oil Drops weren't much on their own, when combined they struck a mighty blow and blasted most of the incoming enemies far away. The rest of them got a taste of Isaac's Stone Spire.

"So, you're an Adept," the Captain said, rising. "Well that explains why you've been a bit of a challenge. But you cannot hope to stop me with weak attacks like that. Do you have any idea of whom you're dealing with?" His sword pulsed with flame. "I am Valerdo, leader of the armies and the mightiest warrior in the Fire Clan. Only our clan leader can match my strength!"

"Is that supposed to scare me?" Isaac implored. "I heard one of your clan members make a similar claim once, and I managed to defeat him." He narrowed his eyes. "You'll pay for what you've done, one way or the other."

Valerdo snickered. "Your confidence means nothing unless you can back it up." He charged again. Isaac leaped into the air, bringing his sword above his head, and brought it down hard against Valerdo's. Once again, the Gaia Blade flashed and prepared to unleash its attack, but this time Valerdo saw it and retaliated with a burst of fire, which Isaac only barely dodged. He cast Ragnarok and managed to knock the sword from his opponent's hand, but Valerdo countered with another inferno and didn't miss this time. Isaac flew a few feet and lost his grip on the Gaia Blade, which swished through the air and planted itself in the ground not far from Mia. Valerdo quickly grabbed his sword and went to keep Isaac pinned by stepping on his chest.

"It ends now, boy," he said, pointing his blade at Isaac's neck. "This was all too easy." He lifted his weapon high to deliver the finishing blow, but a sudden blast of ice caught him off guard and sent him flying. Isaac looked over to Mia, who still had her palms forward from casting her attack. She was breathing hard and beads of sweat were dripping down her face, but she forced a smile and threw the Gaia Blade to him. He jumped to his feet and caught it, not taking his eyes off of her. She clearly couldn't afford to spare whatever energy she had left yet she'd dug into her reserves to help him. He had to make sure that she wouldn't have to do that again.

He started to go to her when several of the other guards rushed towards him with their weapons blazing. Isaac quickly cast Stone Spire again, knocking three of them down, and dispatched the other two with his strongest sword swipes. A few more had been thinking of jumping in, but cautiously backed away when they saw their comrades fall. Truly, this boy commanded astonishing power for his age, and the rest of the guards didn't dare to take him. That left only Valerdo, who managed to snatch Mia before Isaac reached her.

"I should've killed you earlier," he said to Mia, holding his sword to her throat. "You and your entire race shall never be allowed to threaten my Clan again."

"Your clan should burn in the flames you command!" Mia exclaimed. With the last ounce of her power, she cast Ice Missile and freed herself from his grip. Panting heavily, she stumbled back and fell over--right into Isaac's arms. 

Valerdo slowly rose, badly injured from the two water-based attacks he'd suffered. Isaac could feel the rage radiating off of him and how that rage was increasing his power. He had to end this battle now before Valerdo's rage made him too powerful to defeat. Mia struggled to catch her breath but just couldn't, so Isaac pressed his lone Psy Crystal into her hand to help her recover some of her strength. As much as he could use that quick relief, she needed it more. He got to his feet and rushed towards his enemy, running on pure adrenaline and determination alone. Valerdo's hands ignited and he cast another fiery blast, but Isaac leaped over the flames and came at him sword first. The Gaia Blade glowed again, but this time it wasn't in preparation for the Titan Blade--it was only his own power. He brought his sword down with such force that he actually sliced Valerdo's blade right in half. Looking at his broken weapon in stunned disbelief, Valerdo backed away a few steps and Isaac's shining blade went right through his torso. He fell on his back, clutching his wound, and laughed up at the one who'd defeated him.

"I underestimated you," he said, gasping for air as the blood bubbled up from underneath his hand. "Go ahead and finish me, kid. You've fought well."

Isaac placed the Gaia Blade back in his scabbard. "You don't deserve such a merciful death. I think I'd rather leave you here to die slowly and painfully--just as you intended to do to Mia." He wiped the sweat from his forehead with his arm and turned to leave. Valerdo growled audibly. How dare a mere boy mock him this way and deny him an honorable death? He lifted his hand and cast one last attack--a blazing flame shaped like an arrow. With his back turned to it, Isaac didn't see the projectile and it hit him just above his waist near his right side. He fell over and Valerdo laughed evilly before he finally died.

"**NO**!" Mia screamed. She ran to Isaac but he was already getting to his feet, holding his right side with his left hand. He forced a smile.

"Come on," he said. "Let's get out of here while we still can."

Mia tentatively nodded through her tears and together they left Tartarus and vanished into the woods. They'd gone a fair distance before Isaac succumbed to his injury and slumped to the ground, leaning his back against a tree. Mia crouched beside him and tried to cast Ply, but even after absorbing the power of the Psy Crystal, she still didn't have the strength to do it. Her hands wouldn't even glow with a trace of her Psynergy.

"Isaac," she said urgently. "You have to heal yourself! My Psynergy is still too weak!"

Isaac laughed slightly at the irony of the situation. He'd gone through all of that to save Mia, and now he was the one who needed saving. He was such a fool sometimes. "I can't, Mia. I used up the last of my power to defeat Valerdo."

"What?" she asked. "No, you have to try! You can't give up now! You just can't!"

He took a deep breath and tried to cast one of his healing techniques, but like Mia, all of his Psynergy was gone without a trace. The tears streamed down her face faster and faster as she realized that he was right. Neither of them could heal his wound.

"_Why_?!" she sobbed hysterically. "We're finally together again--everything's supposed to be all right now!" She held her head in her hands. "This is all my fault! I should've helped you get out of there!"

"No, Mia," he said gently. He pulled her close with his free right arm. "You can't help it that you got sick. These things just happen, I guess."

"But why you? Why _us_? This isn't right! You never should've come for me at all--not if it has to end like this!"

"Mia, listen to me and believe me when I say this; you're the single greatest thing that's ever happened to me. I would rather die a thousand deaths than live one day, one moment, without you. Nothing in the world could've stopped me from finding you, not Felix, not the Fire Clan, not a hundred copies of Deadbeard's ghost." He smiled again, his eyes watering. "And just getting one more opportunity to see you has made this whole fiasco worth it."

They kissed. Mia was so happy to hear him say those things and yet so impossibly sad knowing that this was the last time they'd be together. She buried her head in his shoulder and tried to hold back her tears, to little avail. Isaac hated seeing her so sad, and it honestly hurt him more than the pain caused by the slow ebbing of his life. He squeezed her tightly and rested his head on top of hers, fighting the sorrow he felt for her. The nearly five days they'd spent apart had seemed like an eternity. He couldn't allow them to be separated again

"You can't die, Isaac!" Mia sobbed. "You can't leave me all alone after everything we've been through to be together!"

"It'll be OK," he said, his own tears cleaning some of the grime from her hair. "I'm not going to abandon you this time."

----------------------------------------------------------

*Sniff!* And you thought the cliffhanger for Chapter 10 was bad! Well, I'm already working on the next (and last) chapter, so please don't call the lynch mob just yet, OK?


	12. Chapter 12

Disclaimer: YAY! This is the last time I have to write one of these things! I must admit that I'm a little sad to end my story, since it's been so much fun to write, but all good things must come to an end eventually. As stated in all previous chapters, I don't own Golden Sun--just this story. So without further ado…

***Chapter 12***

The forest was almost completely quiet when the early light of dawn peaked through the leaves. How could the sun be up already? Last night had gone by all too fast, but perhaps that was for the best. Mia wanted to forget all about the Fire Clan and her unpleasant stay in Tartarus. But the events of last night would forever remain fresh in her memory. Sneaking around the village streets, confronting the guards, the battle against Valerdo, and then that final flare arrow that no one had seen in time. It played out like a movie in her mind, as did those sweet words from the one she loved with all her soul. She'd unintentionally fallen asleep shortly after that, which she blamed on both her illness and the sheer exhaustion from the escape.

Freedom felt like a miracle. Normally, she wrote off any good fortune to dumb luck, but this time she knew it was a real, heaven-sent miracle. 

A miracle named Isaac.

Her grandfather had once told her that everyone in the world has a soulmate--someone who not only loves you but also completes you. Supposedly, only the most fortunate individuals ever found that soulmate within their lifetimes. If Mia had had any doubts about her love for Isaac or his love for her, the events of last night had totally erased them. They were true soulmates, parts of the same whole, and destined to be together forever.

************

"Stupid piece of…" Garet sputtered. He was trying to get the ship unstuck from the shore, and everything he'd tried hadn't worked. How were they going to continue their journey when their ride wouldn't budge?

Jenna was sitting on one of the rocks nearby, watching the sky as it started to turn various shades of gold and pink with the beginning of the sunset. She remembered Isaac's words; _if I'm not back by sunset tomorrow, go without me_. His time limit was almost up. Where was he? He had to come back…he just had to!

"Dammit!" Garet cursed at the boat. "How's a guy supposed to save the world with this piece of junk for his transportation?" He went to join Jenna. "Well, if we can't free the boat, I guess we'll just have to stay here a little longer."

"The sun's going down," said Jenna quietly.

"Really? I hadn't noticed."

She scowled. "Is that all you can say? You idiot! Aren't you worried about him?"

"Hey, I've been pacing the deck just as much as the rest of you. Don't you dare accuse me of not being concerned!"

Jenna sighed. "I'm sorry. I'm just…"

"…Worried? I know. We all are."

They silently watched as the glowing red disc sank lower and lower in the sky. Still no sign of their friend. Jenna felt her heart thumping against her ribcage and her stomach doing flip-flops. How could she have let Isaac go off on his own? And all for that girl no less! _Ah, who am I kidding?_ she thought. _If I hadn't chased Mia away, none of this would've happened. And if Isaac never comes back, I'll have no one but myself to blame. Stupid Mia! What do you have that would make him forsake everything else?_

"Garet?" she asked. "Are you still mad at me?"

He shrugged. "I dunno. You did start this whole mess, after all, but I guess a part of me understands why you were jealous of Mia."

"Really?"

"Well, yeah. I mean, Isaac's practically my brother. I wouldn't want anyone or anything to ever change that."

"Then doesn't it bother you that he chose Mia over you? That he threw away a lifetime of your loyalty and friendship for a girl he's known less than a year?"

Garet shook his head. "He didn't throw it away."

"How can you say that? You and I both saw him stay behind to risk his life for that girl! How is that _not_ throwing away everything he has with us?"

"Jenna, you and I both know that in a perfect world, the three of us wouldn't ever have to split up. But the world's not always perfect, and things are bound to come up that will divide us. And that includes relationships with other people."

"And you're fine with that?" Jenna demanded. "Discarded just because he got involved with someone out of the circle? What's wrong with you? Why won't you fight for him?"

"You mean like you did?" he implored. "Look what came of that! What's the matter with _you_, Jenna? Why won't you let him go?"

Jenna's eyes watered. "You can ask me that when everything I held dear was stolen from me in one terrifying instant? I have _nothing_ to return to when this is over! My parents are gone and my brother may as well be. How can I let you and Isaac slip away from me when you're all I have left?"

Garet smiled reassuringly and put an arm around her. "Hey, don't cry, Jenna. We're not going anywhere--at least I'm not. No matter what happens, we'll always be here for you one way or another. But to want Isaac to forsake his own happiness just for you is a selfish request. He's been through a lot too, and I think he deserves to have what he wants. Don't you agree?"

"Yes," she replied, sniffing a bit. She leaned her head against his shoulder. "Thank you, Garet. You may be an oaf, but sometimes you do know what to say."

Sheba and Ivan looked down at their friends from the bow of the ship, smiling. Then they both looked at the fading sun, wondering where their missing companions were and wishing that they'd hurry back. "Do you understand it, Ivan?" she asked.

"Understand what?"

"Why Isaac chose to do what he did. It seems a bit…_illogical_."

Ivan shrugged. "Perhaps, but then again, I've never been in love."

"It's frightening to think that one emotion could have such a powerful hold over a person." She paused a moment, staring off into space. "Do you think they'll make it back?"

"We can only hope. With any luck, Isaac got in and out of Tartarus without being seen by anyone. But if the guards caught sight of him, he'd be horribly outnumbered." He scratched his head. "Then again, Isaac's at his best when the odds are stacked against him."

Sheba had a lump in her throat. "I should've said something sooner. If I had spoken up, Mia never would've left and none of this would've happened."

"Don't blame yourself, Sheba. It won't do any good. No matter how these events pan out, we can't change the past. All we can do is hope for a decent future."

"I know, but what are we supposed to do without them?"

"We'll continue on to the Mars Lighthouse and find Felix," Ivan replied plainly. "That's what Isaac wanted, so that's what we'll do."

"You're a really good friend, Ivan," she said with a small smile. "I'm glad that I've had this chance to journey with you."

"Likewise. I've felt so much more normal since meeting other Adepts, and meeting another Jupiter Adept is even better. It's as if I finally discovered my real place in the world."

"Me too."

The ocean glittered with reflections of red, pink, orange and gold. Ivan and Sheba went to join Garet and Jenna on the beach and watch the sunset. Normally, this would be a sight to enjoy, but not tonight. The four of them were at a total loss for words as the sun disappeared from sight and the final rays of light began to die away, along with their hopes of Isaac's return. If he had successfully rescued Mia, the two of them should be back by now. The fact that they weren't could only mean one thing. Tears slowly fell down Jenna's face.

"Oh, god!" she whispered, trying to fight off her sorrow and despair. "He's not coming back!"

Garet looked up at the sky, not wanting to accept a future without his best friend. What would he do without Isaac anyway? They'd been together all their lives--practically family. It'd be like missing a part of himself. "Isaac, you idiot," he sighed. "Why'd you have to run off and be so heroic anyway? You know that I do stupid stuff when you're not around."

"Well, I figured I could trust you to man the fort for a day," said a voice from behind. "Don't tell me that was a mistake."

The four whirled to see none other than Isaac and Mia standing near the edge of the woods, both of them smiling away. Garet, Ivan, and Sheba ran to embrace them, but Jenna stayed where she was and stared at them as if they were ghosts. They were OK! It was almost too good to be true.

"You're late!" Garet accused as he squeezed Isaac.

"_Ouch_!" Isaac yelped. "Be gentle with me please--I'm a little sore."

"Sorry," said Garet. He let Isaac go. "You both look like hell."

"Gee, thanks!" Isaac and Mia said together.

"I'm so glad you're all right!" Sheba exclaimed, hugging Mia. "We were so worried!"

"I'm glad to be back," said Mia. "I missed all of you more than I can say."

"I assume that the rescue mission went smoothly?" Ivan inquired.

"Well, it hit a _few_ bumps," Isaac said.

"A few?" Mia questioned. "Isaac, you took on a small army, not to mention one of their strongest warriors!"

"You mean you got to have all that fun without me?" Garet demanded. "No fair!"

Isaac made a face. "Garet, you're impossible, you know that?"

"Tell us all the details," said Sheba. "How'd you manage to get in and out of there alive?"

"Can it wait until later?" Isaac begged. "We're both exhausted, and Mia needs to be indoors where it's warm. And how come the ship's not ready to go?"

"Because Garet couldn't get it to move," said Ivan. "I'm telling you, Isaac--we'd fall apart without you."

"Isn't it sweet how much we all rely on you?" Mia implored.

"Now I know how my mom must feel," Isaac sighed. Jenna suddenly hugged him, which he willingly returned this time.

"I'm so sorry for everything, Isaac," she said. "What can I do to make amends for it? I'll do anything I swear! I don't want you to hate me anymore."

"I don't hate you, Jenna," Isaac said. "I'll forgive you if you do two things for me. One, promise that you won't ever do anything like that again."

"Done," said Jenna. "What's the other?"

"Apologize to Mia."

"Oh, Isaac, that's not necessary," Mia said.

"No, he's right," said Jenna, going to Mia. "I was wrong, Mia. It was selfish of me to try to keep you away from him when he clearly loves you more than anything. And I know that he wouldn't feel this strongly about you unless you felt the same way in return. I want Isaac to be happy, and if that's what you do for him, then you two belong together. But I wouldn't blame you if you decided to hate me forever."

Mia smiled. "I forgave you long ago, Jenna. I understood your desire to protect him and keep him close to you from the beginning, because I feel the same way about him. Isaac's very special, and I know that anyone who could care about him as much as you do and be as important to him as you are must also be very special."

Jenna smiled too. "Yes, he is a rare and special friend. And it makes sense that the girl that could capture his heart must be equally so."

"Truce?" Mia asked, extending a hand.

"Truce." And they shook on it.

"Does this mean we won't be seeing any catfights?" Garet asked, sounding disappointed.

Jenna elbowed him in the stomach. "I take back every nice thing I ever said about you." The others laughed.

"Now that that's settled, what's next?" Ivan asked.

"We continue our quest," said Isaac. "Let's see if we can get our ride moving again."

************

By the following evening, everything was shipshape and the Adepts were at sea once again, continuing their search for Lemuria, Felix, and the Mars Lighthouse, wherever they may be. After dinner, Garet, Jenna, Ivan and Sheba sat around the table in the galley and listened to Isaac's tale about the escape from Tartarus, which held everyone on the edges of their seats.

"You _do_ get to have all the fun," Garet griped when he'd finished. "I'm not letting you go off on your own ever again."

"We shouldn't have let you go alone," Jenna said. "It sounds like you could've used our help."

Isaac shrugged. "In the actual fighting, yes, but getting in and out of there was easier with only Mia and myself to take care of. If you guys had been there, it might've been harder overall. I'm just glad it's over."

"It sounds like you dealt a major blow to the Fire Clan by taking out that Valerdo guy," said Ivan. "Hopefully that means we won't encounter any more of their kind in our travels."

"Something confuses me though," Sheba began. "You said that neither of you had the power to heal your injury and yet you're still here. Was it just not as serious as you thought, or did something else happen?"

"No, it was serious enough," Isaac said. He crossed his arms and looked thoughtful. "I don't really know what happened. We were there in the woods and Mia was crying like crazy, telling me that I couldn't die after all we'd been through to be together. I think I said that I wouldn't abandon her again, and the rest gets fuzzy. I remember seeing a warm green light and feeling the bleeding stop and then I guess I fell asleep. Very weird."

The others looked equally perplexed. "A _green_ light?" Garet asked. "Are you sure it wasn't blue?"

"Positive. It was green."

"But what kind of Psynergy gives off a green color?" Jenna wondered. "All the elements have designated colors that don't ever change. Kraden was certain of it."

"Yeah," Sheba agreed. "I've never heard of such a thing as green Psynergy. Psynergy comes in only one of four colors--yellow, red, blue and purple."

"Maybe you imagined it, Isaac," Garet suggested. "It must've been Mia's powers that healed you and maybe you just thought it was green."

"There was no way Mia healed me," Isaac said. "Believe me, she tried with all her might and nothing happened."

Ivan strummed his fingers against the table, thinking. "Earth is yellow, water is blue. And if one combines the colors yellow and blue, green is the result. Call me crazy, but I think Isaac really _did_ see green Psynergy. I'll bet it was the result of his power combining with Mia's."

"But neither one of them had any Psynergy left!" Sheba exclaimed.

"You can't combine something that's not there," Garet added.

"Remember that time we were in Kolima village and our Psynergy protected us from Tret's curse?" Ivan implored. "We weren't controlling it, but our powers made us immune to Tret's glamour and we determined that some Psynergy must work only when it's needed. Maybe that's what happened here."

"So since neither Isaac nor Mia had enough power to heal his injury, their Psynergy chose to _combine_ in order to heal him?" Jenna asked. "That's a little far-fetched, don't you think?"

Ivan shrugged. "It's just a theory, but I don't think it's that odd when you consider how much Mia and Isaac love each other. Their fervent desire to be together could've allowed them to tap any hidden resources they had."

Sheba sighed longingly. "Then their love saved the day! That's so romantic!"

Garet groaned. "That's so _corny_! I think I'm going to be seasick!"

Isaac laughed to himself and silently slipped out of the galley, leaving the others to debate the matter as much as they pleased. He walked the short distance to the Captain's quarters--the plush stateroom that no one used. They'd been unable to figure out a fair way to determine who got it, since it was so much nicer than the regular cabins. For now, however, it served as Mia's room so she wouldn't risk giving her flu to anyone else. He opened the door as quietly as he could, but she hadn't been sleeping very soundly and stirred at the soft creaking noise.

"Hi, Isaac," she said as she sat up. "I was hoping you'd come visit me before you turned in for the night."

"I'm sorry--I didn't mean to wake you." He shut the door. "How are you feeling?"

"Better. It's amazing what a warm bed and a good night's sleep can do." The color was already returning to her face. She smiled broadly. "Did the others like the story of how my brave, handsome, completely wonderful knight-at-arms risked everything to save me from the most fearsome creatures in the entire world?"

Isaac grinned, chuckling and blushing a bit. "They were on the edges of their seats."

"Good." Mia lightly patted the bed to beckon him over. "This still feels a bit like a dream. I know we were only apart for a few days, but it felt like forever. I don't want to be away from you ever again."

"Me either." He sat down on the edge of the bed. "Like I said--I want us to always be together."

Mia looked crestfallen. "I'd never forget that promise we made, but those Fire Clan guards took the ring you gave me. I'm sorry, Isaac. I didn't ever want to take it off."

"Well, maybe this will make it up to you." Isaac rifled through his pocket and pulled out another ring. It was blue like the first, but this one also had a beautiful sparkling diamond.

"Oh, Isaac!" she gasped in complete surprise. "It's gorgeous! Wherever did you get it?"

"Would you believe I found it in the Jupiter Lighthouse? It was adorning a statue in one of the treasure shrines we found. I saw it and knew it was perfect for you." He smiled. "This ring seems more worthy of our vow, don't you think?"

"It's a little overwhelming. I've never owned anything so glamorous."

Isaac placed the ring on her finger. "Well, now you do. Mia, if any good has come of this mess, it's that now I have no doubts about us at all. I know with every ounce of my being that we belong together." 

"Me too. We're soulmates, Isaac. You and I are one, now and forever."

"Then there's only one thing left for us to do. What do you say, Mia? When our quest ends and all our duties are done, will you give me the honor of becoming your husband?"

She threw her arms around him, laughing in complete elation. "YES!" She pulled him in for a long kiss. Together at last as it was meant to be, they soon lost themselves in that sweet surrender.

*~_The End_~*

OK, so it was incredibly mushy, but what can I say--it's a _love_ story! Thanks so much to all of you who read this and gave me those wonderful reviews. I hope you enjoyed my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.


End file.
